Al Qadim Arabian Adventures

others. Gnawing hunger and intense desire lead beggar-thieves to take risks that others would not. Unlike sa’luks, most beggars are generally respectful of authority—if only until that authority has its back turned. Members of this kit treat those who have money and power well, even while they strive to share or remove their riches. A regular feature of Zakharan myth is the king or sultan who masquerades as a tatterdemalion among his own people, to discover what they are truly saying about his rule. Beggar-thieves keep such legends alive; at a minimum, it helps make merchants think twice before kicking them out of a market stall. In addition, the hope that some newcomer is royalty in disguise is a common theme in beggar romances. Weapon Proficiencies: A beggar-thief chooses his or her two initial weapons from the following list: club, dagger, dart, knife, sling, and staff. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiency: Begging. l Recommended, General: Haggling, singing. Some beggars may have marketable skills such as weaving and tailoring, but to display them is to risk having it known they could work for a living. l Recommended, Warrior: Endurance, survival (urban). l Recommended, Priest and Wizard: None. l Recommended, Rogue: Appraising, disguise, forgery, gaming, juggling, local history, musical instrument. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: Beggar-thieves (even wealthy ones) have relatively little in the way of equipment. A simple bowl and perhaps a musical instrument are about the limits of splendor that a beggar can afford (or afford to reveal). Even modest clothing reduces the opportunities for begging by -5, a penalty which is applied to the proficiency check. (See “Begging” in Chapter 4.) Any form of fancy dress negates the chance of begging entirely. Beggar-thieves rarely wear armor when working the city, because for every point of visible AC better than 10, they suffer a -1 penalty to their proficiency check. Similarly, magical items (especially those in good shape) reduce the opportunity to beg or pass unnoticed by -5. When not involved in beggarly craft, members 50 of this class may wear any armor and carry any weapons within their limitations as thieves. Many beggar-thieves, once they have attained some level of wealth, leave their origins behind, cobbling together a different past in another city. Magic and special abilities such as the wise woman’s eye may reveal the truth—that the “king” was once a beggar, for example. Special Benefits: The greatest ability of beggarthieves is what some call their greatest flaw: the cities are full of others who look just like them. A beggarthief can disappear in a crowd or trail another person unnoticed (ability check based on Dexterity). This is possible only in areas with a large number of beggars; a deserted oasis and the sultan’s palace are not locations in which these abilities are useful. Special Hindrances: Beggars are regarded as being among the lowest levels of society. As a result, members of this kit suffer a 4-point penalty to all reaction rolls involving other intelligent creatures. Unintelligent creatures, animals, and monsters in the desert, as well as those hostile to humans and other civilized creatures, behave normally and pay no attention to the individual’s social station. Thief Abilities: Thieving skills undergo the following adjustments: l Pick Pockets: +10 percent l Open Locks: -5 percent l Find/Remove Traps: -5 percent l Move Silently: No modification l Hide in Shadows: +5 percent l Detect Noise: No modification l Climb Walls: No modification l Read Languages: -5 percent Wealth Options: Every beggar-thief starts out with 2d6 gp. To increase this amount, those accompanied by other characters are free to finagle as much as possible out of them. Races: All races have beggars, and among them are beggar-thieves. The more fortunate members of a nonhuman race are just as likely to ignore their lessfortunate cousins as humans are, at least in the cities and settlements. Zakharan gnomes are an exception. They consider all other gnomes their brothers. Gnomes who are “down on their luck” are to be adopted, cleaned, fed, and trained to do productive

work. After that, a job is to be found for them. As a result, there are very few panhandling gnomes; those who seek to improve themselves get the opportunity, while those who choose to retain their beggarly status spend most of their time hiding from wealthier gnomes. Holy Slayer (Assassin) Holy slayers are the ghosts of the deserts. They mete out justice and threats in a manner that intimidates and frightens most foreigners as well as many Zakharans. Also called assassins, these characters view an opposing army or nation as a great beast to be slaughtered, or at least confused by the severing of its head. Sometimes the mere warning that a holy slayer is nearby is enough to turn away those who seek to harm the assassin’s people. The holy slayers of Arabian history were also assassins whose stories were wrapped in myth and legend. Originally, they were a radical faction of the faithful. Their leader sequestered himself within a great, secret mountain in the desert. There (as the story goes), young recruits were drugged. When they awoke, they were told they had been carried into heaven, to a garden of earthly delights. The youths dallied in this “paradise” for some time, then were drugged again and returned to the leader’s quarters. When they regained consciousness, they were offered the opportunity to serve the holy cause as warriors of the faith. The bait: the promise that they would be readmitted to the garden after death, to spend eternity in paradise. Many young recruits agreed. They joined the “Grandfather” of assassins, fearless in their conviction that even if they died, they would be better off in the next world. Tales of such a secret society have changed through the centuries. “Assassin” has come to mean a mercenary killer who takes contracts out on his or her fellow citizens in the same way a mason would accept a contract to lay bricks. But the legendary characters after which this kit is modeled had the power of faith, even if misplaced faith, and an organization behind them. In the Land of Fate, there are a number of fellowships comprising such assassins—or as they are more commonly called, holy slayers. Each fellowship is a religious organization dedicated to the advancement of its particular faith. (Some might compare these groups to the historical Knights Templar of the Western church.) Such organizations usually have the support of moralist clergymen, but vary in their intolerance of other factions. Each fellowship operates from a secret location, which is unknown to lowranking members. Requirements: Holy slayers may be neutral or evil, but must always be lawful. They must also be thieves. Bards are never holy slayers, though they may be allied with such organizations in the same way moralist priests are. Members of this kit may be of any race. They may be male or female, and many fellowships include both genders. An equal number are exclusively male or female, however. The Soft Whisper, for example, is an all-female sisterhood, while the Wind of Fate accepts only males. Other groups include The Wrath of The Old, The Storm Which Destroys, and Grey Fire. Role: Holy slayers operate under as many restrictions as paladins, their antithesis. Members of this kit were literally created to follow the orders of the Grandfather or Grandmother of their respective organizations. They must be willing to die immediately for their cause. If a leader should ask a holy slayer to leap from a building to prove his or her faith, the holy slayer does so without question. Unfortunately for assassins, leaders often ask exactly that, in order to prove their power. Holy slayers are not required to announce their profession to the general public. While a few fellowships encourage such displays, members who do so may be told to perform extremely dangerous missions in order to prove that they are worthy. Most fellowships prefer to operate in secrecy. To disguise their identity, holy slayers often attempt to imitate other kits such as beggar-thieves, matruds, or sa’luks. In such cases, holy slayers lose none of their normal abilities. Nor do they gain the special benefits of the “cover” kit, though smart assassins often pretend they do. At a minimum, it’s a good idea to feign the cover kit’s hindrances. Assassins who are not based at their fellowship’s secret hideout are allowed to act as free agents for a time, much like priests who are not currently attached 51

to a particular church or mosque. These free agents are allowed to live their lives in a normal fashion. However, as soon as word comes from the Grandfather or Grandmother, they are expected to perform whatever actions are ordered. They are not expected to ask for additional aid or time, nor may they appeal the decision. They are expected only to do or die. NPC holy slayers rarely if ever ignore such orders. They are willing to die for their faith. However, those rare player characters who belong to this kit are not automatons. They may ignore the orders of their leader if they choose, especially if death is the likely outcome of those orders. (Of course, death may be the outcome of refusing an order, too.) Holy slayers who disobey become outcasts. The same applies to those who “obey” in part, but have managed to twist the meaning of an order through clever interpretation of the wording. Outcasts become the target of attacks by other members of their fellowship. These attacks are planned by the DM. Rather than kill a target outright, fellowships usually prefer a string of nasty assaults—for example, the kidnapping of allies, the destruction of home towns, or the summoning of monsters. These attacks take place at the worst possible moments. They continue until one of the following occurs: the PC decides to complete the assigned mission; the PC has survived a number of separate attacks equal to his or her level (at which point the Grandfather or Grandfather may consider the punishment sufficient, if the DM so chooses); or the PC slays the current leader of his or her fellowship (which is why the location of a fellowship’s base is kept so secret). Weapon Proficiencies: A holy slayer may become proficient in the use of any one-handed weapon. Each fellowship specializes in a weapon, which must be among the holy slayer’s first proficiencies. For example, members of the fellowships noted above choose these weapons: l Soft Whisper: Jambiya. When used in holy slayings, the weapon is made of jade and left behind. l The Wind of Fate: Blowgun. l The Wrath of The Old: Dagger. l The Storm Which Destroys: Long sword. When used in a holy slaying, the blade is made of obsidian and left behind. l The Grey Fire: Javelin with a grey shaft, which is decorated with red feathers. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiencies: Disguise. l Recommended, General: Etiquette, heraldry, languages (modern), rope use. l Recommended, Warrior: Bowyer/fletcher, endurance, weaponsmithing. l Recommended, Priest: Herbalism, religion. l Recommended, Wizard: Herbalism, religion. l Recommended, Rogue: Begging, blind-fighting, forgery, jumping, tumbling, tightrope walking. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: Members of this kit are allowed to use any one-handed weapon. Otherwise, their limitations match those of any standard thief. Holy slayers can and do use poisons that inflict damage upon contact or injection, but only as nonfatal weapons, and they never use ingestive poison for holy slayings. (Any fool can poison the sultan’s wine, however, and any sultan who is foolish enough to forgo a food-taster should be removed from office anyway.) Special Benefits: Like a fighter, the holy slayer is allowed to specialize in the use of one weapon. In this case, a holy slayer must specialize in the weapon that represents his or her fellowship. As noted above, holy slayers use only one-handed weapons. Special Hindrances: A holy slayer’s greatest hindrance is a short lifespan. (When a Grandfather or Grandmother says jump, these characters jump, unless they like the idea of preparing themselves against a number of ambushes.) In game terms, the DM should secretly roll for the chance of receiving “the call” each time a PC holy slayer makes it to the next experience level. There is a noncumulative 10 percent chance per level of receiving “the call.” Sometimes the call is an order to kill. It also may involve a risky mission to deliver a message or warning, or perhaps to retrieve a valuable item. When such an order targets a particular individual (though not necessarily for death), there is an 80 percent chance that the target is in the same city or territory as the holy slayer. Further, there’s an 80 percent chance that the target is a native of that area—in other words, that he or she is on “home turf” and is probably well-protected. Targets are always 52

tribes, they are renowned as horse-thieves. All are motivated by their own plight. Outcast and without social position, they think of themselves first, and the rest of the world not at all. From their perspective, the Land of Fate has done them no favors, brought them no boons—so why should they be concerned with the persons of importance or responsibility, such as sultans, viziers, or a captain of the king’s guard—never common merchants or loud-mouthed innkeepers. The DM is expected to challenge holy slayers in their craft. Thief Abilities: The following adjustments are made to the thieving skills of a holy slayer: l Pick Pockets: -10 percent l Open Locks: No modification l Find/Remove Traps: No modification l Move Silently: +5 percent l Hide in Shadows: +5 percent l Detect Noise: No modification l Climb Walls: No modification l Read Languages: -5 percent Wealth Options: Each holy slayer begins the game with 2d6 × 10 gp. Members of this kit are expected to purchase their own arms and equipment. That includes any special weapon which the organization requires for slaying. (For example, the Soft Whisper does not provide jade jambiyas for members of this sisterhood because the weapons might be traced back to their source.) Races: Members of any race may be holy slayers, though few elves, gnomes, and halflings choose this role. Among moralist dwarves, holy slayers are common. They form a small but potent group, working against rival moralist factions. Matrud Matruds (mah-TROODS) are desert thieves, outcast from their tribes, shunned by former comrades and family, surviving at the margins of their former society. The cause of their rejection may or may not have been just, but in any case matruds have lost both their possessions and their former position. As a result, they live for survival and for revenge. They have become rebels and raiders, striking against both the desert tribes and the settled folk, seeking to grab a slice of what they feel is justifiably theirs. Requirements: Only thieves are matruds. (Outcast bards tend to gravitate toward the sa’luk or rawun kit instead.) Either gender is eligible. The unisex title is matrud (mah-TROOD). The optional feminine title is matruda (mah-TROOD-ah). Role: Matruds may be found everywhere in Zakhara, from the sea to the desert. Among the desert fate of others? Matruds are transient, and most take on jobs that even beggars would refuse. The key difference between beggars and matruds is that the latter have no aversion to hard work, particularly if it places them in a position where they can steal. These rogues tend to move quickly from job to job, hoping to stay one leap ahead of trouble. Many corrupt bureaucrats began their career as matruds. The matruds are marginal individuals. In the cities, they are little better than beggars, but without the benefit of great numbers. Sometimes matruds form small bands of raiders. Distrust and suspicion of one another keep the association loose at best. Leadership in such bands is by the strongest, and slaying the previous leader is considered sufficient recommendation for the position. Matruds who become successful rarely return to their native tribes. Instead they seek to hoard their gold, gems, and magic, creating strongholds defended by tricks and traps (because even loyal retainers may be bribed). Matruds give little more than lip service to the Zakharan principle of hospitality and good will. Honor has become a matter of surviving without helping or being helped by others. They trust no one. To the matruds, all men are thieves—whatever their stated profession. The matruds continually strive to protect themselves against such thievery. 53

Weapon Proficiencies: One of a matrud’s two initial weapon proficiencies must be the scimitar. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiencies: Riding (land-based), survival (desert). their matruds enthusiastically—so enthusiastically that gnomes who are members of this kit often flee the family circle before they are formally ejected. l Recommended, General: Debate, direction sense, haggling, weather sense. l Recommended, Warrior: Animal lore, endurance, running, survival (other), tracking. l Recommended, Priest and Wizard: Herbalism. l Recommended, Rogue: Awareness, begging, blind-fighting, bureaucracy, reading lips, setting snares, riding specialization (horse or camel). l Forbidden: None. Equipment: Matruds purchase only what they can carry. Initially, they may not purchase a horse, camel, or other beast of burden. Special Benefits: None. Special Hindrances: Matruds are outcasts, and obviously so. When dealing with desert tribes, members of this kit suffer a 2-point penalty to rolls on the Encounter Reaction chart in the DMG (see Table 59 in Chapter 11). In the city, this reduction does not occur, thanks to a larger, more varied society and a more accepting atmosphere. Thief Abilities: Some thieving skills undergo adjustments, as shown below. l Pick Pockets: No change l Open Locks: -5 percent l F/R Traps: No change l Move Silently: +10 percent l Hide in Shadows: +10 percent l Detect Noise: No change l Climb Walls: +5 percent l Read Languages: -10 percent Wealth Options: Each matrud begins the game with 1d10 × 10 gp. Any further moneys must be borrowed (or liberated) from others. Races: Members of any race may be matruds, provided that they normally may be thieves. Matruds are not only outcast from their families and tribes, but also from their native race. For example, before they are cast out, dwarven matruds are marked on the forehead to signify this state to others. Elves notch the ears of their outcasts. Halflings have no such visible markings. Gnome families usually try to rehabilitate Merchant-rogue Not all merchants are out-and-out thieves (despite the protestations of many cash-poor PCs to the contrary). Many, however, are rogues, and they exemplify the social nature of the thief class: they are friendly, willing to do business, and try not to steal too much from their targets (after all, poor targets don’t have that much to steal the next time). Such merchantrogues are the focus of this kit. They may be found anywhere—at sea, in a desert caravan, or operating a small booth in a bazaar. Requirements: Only members of the thief class may be merchant-rogues. While there are fighters, mages, bards, and even priests who act in the merchant profession, only a merchant-rogue gains the benefits listed here. All races and both genders are eligible. Role: Merchant-rogues tread a fine line between honest trade and swindling, and their definition of both is quite loose. Ultimately, however, trade is their lifeblood, not outright theft. Success in the marketplace may cover up a multitude of smaller sins, but if those sins get out of hand, they stifle the very trade that makes them possible. Merchants are as honest as they have to be; if they obviously cheat their customers and fellow businessmen, they’ll soon have no trade left. Further, the forces of law and order tend to frown on wholesale gouging, the diluting of goods, and cheating the public. Therefore, such manners are to be avoided (except, of course, when a really juicy profit can be made). Most Zakharans assume that any merchant is little more than a rogue—not just members of this kit. That makes the life of a merchant-rogue much easier. After all, the public is not expecting fair and free trade, so why confuse them by acting in a totally honorable manner? Haggling is also expected in the marketplace, and the buyer should always seek to be as informed as possible before approaching the stall. No merchant in his or her right mind would negate a sale by telling the outright truth about a product. The motto of many merchant-rogues is this: “It’s legitimate as long you don’t get caught.” They have 54

few qualms about dealing in stolen (or, rather, “previously owned”) merchandise, provided the original owners cannot trace the sale. If a powerful or wealthy patron quietly requests a special item, merchant-rogues may even engage in a little thievery themselves. As noted earlier, merchant-rogues are not confined to the marketplace or even a settlement. While there are good profits to be made in sales, there are even better fortunes to be made in the company of brave adventurers who slay monsters and have first dibs on treasure. Indeed, for the merchant-rogue sufficiently protected by these brave souls, a great amount of wealth is waiting to be acquired. Weapon Proficiencies: Merchant-rogues may begin the campaign with a proficiency in any weapon available to thieves. Nonweapon Proficiencies: • Bonus Proficiencies: Haggling, reading/writing. • Recommended, General: Animal handling, animal training, debate, etiquette, languages (modern), swimming (if operating on a ship). • Recommended, Warrior: Animal lore, navigation, survival (urban). • Recommended, Priest and Wizard: Navigation, religion, spellcraft. • Recommended, Rogue: Appraising, bureaucracy, disguise, forgery, gaming, gem cutting, reading lips. • Forbidden: None. Equipment: In a world where many of the other kits encourage poverty, frugality, or asceticism, merchant-rogues are very conspicuous consumers. On a personal level, they flaunt their wealth with rich robes, gem-studded rings, and homes that stretch their funds to the limit. In business, they strive to boast the finest ships, the best camels, the most trusted mercenaries, and the greatest profits. Specialty items, such as works of art or magic with specific histories, are highly valued. Special Benefits: Members of this kit enjoy two advantages: buying in bulk and owning a business. Both revolve around their preoccupation with money. Buying in Bulk. This is the ability to “buy in bulk” at rock-bottom prices from other merchants. Merchantrogues may buy any common item in 1,000-unit lots if the item’s price is listed in copper or silver pieces. If the price is listed in gold pieces, merchant-rogues can buy the item in 100-unit lots. After paying bargain prices, they sell the items to another merchant elsewhere (not in the same city) for the normal price. The merchant-rogues, of course, pocket the difference. Only items typically available in bulk can be bought and sold this way. For example, a merchantrogue would not normally be able to purchase a hundred ships over the counter. The DM has final say on whether a given product is available in large amounts. Magical items and objects listed as “rare” or “unique” are never available in bulk. To receive this benefit, a merchant-rogue must oversee the entire “bulk buy”—from purchase to delivery. That kind of supervision may involve a long trip across dangerous terrain, which could be the basis for an adventure. A PC merchant-rogue might reduce expenditures by hiring fellow adventurers as mercenary guards. Gold earned in this process doesn’t count toward experience, but treasure liberated from monsters and attackers does. Running a Business. The second special benefit of this kit is the ability to establish a self-sustaining business. For 5,000 gp, a merchant-rogue can set up a trading company that operates while he or she is away on other business or adventures. That amount pays for business space, stock, and an employee (often a relative or friend). The merchant-rogue may invest more money, as well as the money of allies. A merchant-rogue may only run one business at a time, however. If, for whatever reason, the value of that business drops below 2,000 gp, it folds, and all investments are lost. It takes a month to inaugurate a trading business. Each month thereafter, roll 1d10 and consult Table 4 to determine the results of that month’s business. Round up to the nearest gold piece. Merchant-rogues may withdraw any profit or investment money from their trading company as they see fit. It’s their prerogative as owners. (Other investors may wish to “look at the books” from time to time, however.) Money earned in this fashion may not be used toward experience. If an owner siphons off enough to reduce the business’s value below 2,000 gp, it folds, and all investments are lost. 55

Result Disaster! The Hand of Fate is turned against you. Thirty percent of the money currently invested in the business is lost! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given! Malady and poor business decisions made in your stead have hurt the firm! Twenty percent of the value of investments is lost! A slow season, nothing to panic about, but 10 percent of all money invested is lost. Business is as business always is, with a regular turnover of funds but little advancement. No money is lost this month, but no profits are gained. The faithful among your employees promise to redouble their efforts. Business is livelier. The funds invested in the company increase by 10 percent. Business is quite good. The funds invested in the company increase by 20 percent. Business is excellent! The gods smile upon your endeavor, and your goods are delivered into the hands of the needy at the exact moment that they are willing to pay for them! Money invested in the company increases by 30 percent! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given! TABLE 4: Monthly Trading Checks Roll 1 2 3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10 Once a year, the local government collects a tax for operating within the city or town. The tax covers all tariffs, fees for paperwork, permits, and the like. The amount normally equals 10 percent of net worth and is assessed at the start of the year. Draconian and corrupt governments may increase this to 20 percent, as do pashahs who feel that a particular merchant-rogue has been less than forthcoming with an honest payment. Establishing and running a trading company is a background activity, which is not meant to overwhelm the high adventure of merchant-rogues. They can still discover new trade routes, bring back gems and rich fabrics, and bear tales of how bravely their employees have fought for them. The business makes such adventures possible; it doesn’t displace them. A merchant-rogue may hire a head clerk to run the trading company in his or her absence. (DMs may 56 strongly suggest this to merchant-rogue PCs.) The head clerk is an NPC hireling who manages the business for a monthly fee of 20 gp. A hireling who is mistreated or feels little loyalty may cheat on his or her boss, causing a -1 die modifier to the monthly roll for profits. The head clerk’s pay may be covered by the business or be paid directly by the merchant-rogue. As a general rule, most trading companies with a value of 10,000 gp or less are considered small. Those with a value around 100,000 gp are still modest. When a company’s assets have climbed to 500,000 gp or more, it is a mighty trading empire, and is accorded the attention of those of import. Special Hindrances: Merchant-rogues have no special hindrances, other than the trouble they can get into through poor business dealings. Thief Abilities: Some thieving skills of merchantrogues undergo adjustment, as shown below. l Pick Pockets: No modification l Open Locks: No modification l Find/Remove Traps: No modification l Move Silently: -5 percent l Hide in Shadows: -5 percent l Detect Noise: No modification l Climb Walls: -5 percent l Read Languages: +5 percent Wealth Options: Merchant-rogues begin with 3d6 × 10 gp each. Any gold not spent initially may later be expended on ostentatious displays, invested in items of higher quality, or be lent to the less fortunate (at reasonable rates). Races: Members of any race may be merchantrogues. In the relatively cosmopolitan cities, any race may sell to another without difficulty or even a second thought. Along the borders of the Land of Fate, where barbarians make their homes, troubles may arise. While on a trek to the dwarven barbarian nation, the elvish merchant and sometimes poet Cheykr AlBallalit learned this very lesson. The expedition is colorfully described in Al-Ballalit’s poem “In Praise of Long Limbs: Escaping from the Short Barbarians.” Rawun Rawuns (rah-OONS) are the bards of the desert tribes—the tale-spinners, the lore-keepers, and the entertainers. Each is entrusted with the legends of his

or her own tribe, as well as other tribes contacted. Rawuns are the master poets of their peoples, and most of their knowledge is repeated through epic poems. Rawuns may be found in most desert tribes. The most powerful of them act as advisors to a sheikh or tribal leader. In more urban areas, members of this kit run the gamut from bazaar entertainers to viziers serving a sultan. Requirements: Rawuns must first be bards; thieves need not apply. Both genders are allowed. The unisex title is rawun (rah-OON). The optional female title is rawuna (rah-OON-ah). In some regions, and in their own formal poetry, the plural is rawunin. (We’ve used the anglicized plural in this text.) Role: Rawuns are blessed with a strong memory and an even stronger voice. In more cultured areas, they are well read, and their verses are captured on paper. In the tribal lands of the desert—where paper may be considered excess weight to a traveling people—rawuns are the keepers of all knowledge, the memory of their tribes. No tomes or scrolls hold their stories. Members of this kit are competent and entertaining, glib and smooth in the manner of their outlander cousins, but with a deep, abiding regard for both tradition and art. As a group, they tend to be showy. Citified rawuns often don rich cloaks dripping with jewels, while those among desert tribes prefer simple but stunning white robes, trimmed with gold. Weapon Proficiencies: Rawuns have two initial weapon proficiency slots, but they may choose any weapons to fill them. Nonweapon Proficiencies: • Bonus Proficiencies: Singing. • Recommended, General: Languages (modem), debate, etiquette, riding (land-based). • Recommended, Warrior: Animal lore, survival (desert). • Recommended, Priest: None. • Recommended, Wizard: Astrology, languages (ancient), herbalism, spellcraft, genie lore, reading/writing. • Recommended, Rogue: Ancient history, local history, musical instrument. • Forbidden: None. Equipment: Rawuns share the usual limits of the bard class: chain mail and shield. (In the desert, such hot and bulky gear is used only in times of dire need.) Both urban and desert rawuns have prodigious memories. Those with ties to a city or settlement often collect books and scrolls to supplement what they know offhand. For a library to have any notable effect on research or knowledge, it must contain no fewer than 100 books and/or scrolls, with a total value of at least 3,000 gp. Rawuns who own such libraries gain a +1 bonus to all proficiency checks involving the research of an item—provided, of course, that they have access to their library at the time. An ancient history check, for example, would involve this bonus. Special Benefits: Rawuns gain a 10 percent bonus when using their bard ability to determine the general nature of magical items. In addition, they have the power, once every 24 hours, to cause the evil eye to fall upon another, just by summoning it into being. (See Chapter 5.) This power is not without drawbacks. Rawuns must make a Wisdom check for the evil eye to come into effect; failure means the target is safe, but the rawun is affected by the eye instead. Rawuns also have the ability to remove the evil eye’s effects from another being, once every 24 hours. A Wisdom check determines success. Failure means nothing happens. Rawuns cannot use this beneficial power on themselves; when in need of a cure, they must find another rawun or a mage with the ability. A rawun’s powers concerning the evil eye are mutually exclusive. Hence, a rawun who invokes the evil eye may not lift it on the same day, and vice versa. Special Hindrances: Rawuns gain spells in the normal fashion, but may use only universal spells, not those of the elemental provinces. Members of this kit do not have sha’ir abilities, but a rawun’s broad knowledge may still be of some help in identifying or dealing with genies. Thief Abilities: Some thieving abilities of rawuns undergo adjustments: l Pick Pockets: -5 percent l Detect Noise: No modification l Climb Walls: -5 percent l Read Languages: + 10 percent Wealth Options: Rawuns start the campaign with 2d6 × 10 gp each. If anything remains after initial 57

purchases are made, a rawun can “salt it away,” perhaps toward the eventual acquisition of a library. Races: Only humans and half-elves become bards; hence, they are the only races who become rawuns. Priest Kits The Land of Fate is host to a large number of gods. Some are powerful, others not, but all grant powers to their holy followers. Characters who follow the same god (or gods) are joined together in the same faith. Differences between the faiths are mainly political; there are no “specialty priests” in Zakhara. Unless otherwise noted, priests do not gain unusual powers solely by virtue of the gods they worship. This section describes seven kits available to priests in the Land of Fate, including one for foreigners. All six native kits are for clerics only. The kits can be divided into two categories: Clerics of Order and Free Priests. Clerics of Order are more common. (They may be of any alignment; “order” refers to their religious hierarchy.) They also are more organized than Free Priests, with standard clergy and mosques throughout the Land of Fate. In contrast, Free Priests are rarely tied to a specific church. Clerics of Order do not always share the same religious views—far from it. They worship a number of different gods, many of which are in open conflict. But regardless of the god or gods venerated by a given faith, all clerics within it belong to one of three philosophical groups: pragmatists, ethoists, and moralists. Each group shares certain powers and abilities that transcend the boundaries of faith. l Pragmatists are the most liberal of all priests, as well as the most common. While certain faiths have only a few pragmatists, as a whole most organized clerics in Zakhara take this liberal and tolerant approach to worship. Pragmatists believe that the ethos of the gods must be fitted to the problems of the contemporary world. In fact, most pragmatists believe in the validity of all gods, with none superior to another. The most popular faith in Zakhara, the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods, is composed primarily of pragmatists. l Ethoists are more conservative in their viewpoints. While each seeks to encourage others to follow in his or her own path, ethoists are still tolerant of those who choose to seek another. l Moralists are the most narrow-minded and intolerant of all organized clerics. Each believes in the ultimate truth of his or her god’s teachings over all others. Unless two moralists are of the same or a similar faith, they are bitter rivals. Normally, only one moralist faith prevails within a given area of Zakhara, though most seek to expand their realm of influence. Beyond the Clerics of Order are the Free Priests. These clerics have been “touched” by the greater powers, yet do not belong to an organized faith. Four kits are Free Priests: l Hakimas, or wise women, are clerics who benefit from their own form of special sight. While there are technically no “specialty priests” in the AL-QADIMTM campaign, hakimas best fit that description. l Kahins, or idol-priests, are similar to the northerly druids, but they are in tune with the varied and wondrous nature of Zakhara. l Mystics are recluses who live in isolation, journeying among men only to make great revelations and predictions. l Outland priests come from outside the Land of Fate and worship strange pantheons of cold gods. These characters are tolerated unless they pose a threat to the clerical hierarchy. “Standard” priests of the AD&D® game become outland priests. If the DM allows kits from The Complete Priest’s Handbook, those are considered outland priests, too. Cleric of the Faith Pragmatic (Pragmatist) Pragmatists are clerics of the common folk. They believe that others can easily be shown the true course in life through example and debate. Free to wander far from their temples, they are the most common cleric encountered in the Land of Fate. They preach tolerance among conflicting religions and gods, and they promote mediation over religious conflict. This is not to say that they cannot fight, nor will they hesitate to do so when confronted with a threat to themselves, their respective faiths, or their people. Requirements: No specialty priest is eligible. Otherwise, clerics of the Faith Pragmatic may be of any race that allows priests, of either gender, and of any alignment. The ethos of a particular god, however, 5 8

tends to determine the alignment of those who follow that god. (Let common sense prevail; for example, few evil priests worship a god of healing.) Role: Pragmatists are considered the most understanding and even-tempered of clerics. They are usually found on the front line of their particular ethos. For instance, those who worship gods of healing are found in hospices, while those venerating gods of war work with military units. Further, the organized church tends to provide great leeway for the actions and whereabouts of their pragmatic brethren. Long disappearances are not uncommon. And it is not unreasonable for a pragmatist to hold a single position for only a few months before moving on, either to another town or to a life of adventure, while preaching and living up to the tenets of his or her faith. Pragmatists tend to be tolerant of other faiths, and pragmatists from opposing religions or of dissimilar alignments may be found in the same party, bound together by a common goal. The best summary of pragmatist thought is this: “All faiths have good points, and we may learn and make our own faith stronger through interacting with those faiths.” All religions in Zakhara have a pragmatist wing, even the heavily moralist pantheon. The most popular church among pragmatists is the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods, which in theory includes every deity ever known, as well as those who are yet to be discovered or born. Weapon Proficiencies: The pragmatist may take any weapon allowed to the priest class. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiency: Religion. l Recommended, General: Any. l Recommended, Warrior: Endurance. l Recommended, Priest: Ancient history, healing, herbalism, local history, reading/writing, spellcraft, genie lore. l Recommended, Wizard and Rogue: None. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: Clerics of the Faith Pragmatic have no set “uniform” or dress, other than the holy symbols of their respective faiths, which are prominently displayed. They are allowed to wear any type of armor. (Of course, in the field they suffer the same limitations 59

ethical characters would think of pursuing a priest into a monastery, even in vengeance. Magical Abilities: Pragmatists can gain spells from the standard spheres as a cleric: l Major Access: All, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, and Sun. l Minor Access: Elemental. l Forbidden Spheres: Animal, Plant, Weather, Chaotic, Law, Numbers, Thought, Time, Travelers, Wards. (The last seven spheres were first introduced in the Tome of Magic. These and other newly introduced spheres are not encompassed by this rulebook unless otherwise noted.) Turning Undead. Pragmatists can turn and control the undead. Special Hindrances: Aside from lacking the benefits of their ethoist and moralist brethren, pragmatists have no special hindrances. Wealth Options: Pragmatists have starting funds of 3d6 × 10 gp. After purchasing initial goods, they must return all remaining funds (except 2 to 3 gp) to their church; else they must distribute them to true believers of the appropriate faith (including PCs who profess sincerely to be true believers, or are willing to convert). Races: Members of any race may be clerics of the Faith Pragmatic, save those forbidden to have priests. Races other than humans may worship “human” gods, or their own racial interpretation of those gods, and vice versa. Under the tenets of the Faith Pragmatic, the physical form of a god is only a representation, and the true spirit of a deity encompasses all races. Cleric of the Faith Ethical (Ethoist) While the “wandering priest” of a god or pantheon may be a pragmatic individual, the faithful clerics who maintain the temples, mosques, and monasteries are a more organized breed. These men and women provide a sense of continuity and permanence to the lives of 60 as any other character when heat and heavy armor are at odds.) Special Benefits: Pragmatists gain but one special benefit: free lodging and protection within a mosque or monastery of their own faith. A temple is considered hallowed ground, and only the most antithe believers around them. It is they who make the call for prayers, they who deliver the sermons, they who perform the daily tasks required by the gods. If pragmatists are the hands of the faith, and moralists the heart, then ethoists are the mind. Requirements: Specialty priests may not be ethoists. Characters of chaotic alignment are not eligible either. (Says one sage, “Short-sheeting an imam’s bed is never a good idea.”) Ethoists may be lawful or neutral in nature, and these alignments may be combined with good, neutrality, or evil, depending on the nature of the being(s) they worship. Either gender is allowed. A married priest is eligible, provided his or her spouse belongs to the same faith. Further, any race is permitted as long as the race normally has priests. Role: Ethoists tend to be the most methodical and level-headed Clerics of Order. They manage day-today operations and see to it that needs of the faithful are met, as well as the needs of the deity or deities they venerate. Most organized faiths have ethoist factions. Player characters in need of healing are most likely to find aid from such ethoists. Even so, members of the ethoist branch realize that to grow and develop, individuals should be encouraged to see the world, and to carry the word of the faithful to others. For this reason, young priests of a mosque or monastery are often granted a leave of absence to adventure and explore. A few strictures apply. Before such youths leave, they must declare their plans (e.g., direction, actions, traveling companions). While away, they must keep records of their actions and activities in the nature of the faith. And upon reaching another outpost of their particular faith, they must turn these records over to the local ethoists and sit for interviews, telling their tales and adventures. These oral reports last about an hour for every three days out, and ethoist priests should prepare their schedules accordingly. Upon attaining sufficient level (usually 8th level, when followers show up), ethoists are expected to settle down and set up their own local church, or to aid a larger city mosque. There are notable exceptions, however, such as the Al-Itimad Traveling Revival Movement, which swept through the coastal towns for many decades until the untimely death of its leader.

Most clerics of the Faith Ethical disapprove of those who worship gods which they do not—even if the “misguided” happen to be ethoists, too. The ethoist world view can be summed up as follows: “Other faiths are all very nice, but they are quite wrong, you know. Only our faith is the one true way. Not that we’re pushing, mind you.” Weapon Proficiencies: Ethoists may take any weapon allowed to the priest class. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiencies: Religion, bureaucracy. l Recommended, General: Cooking, debate, etiquette, heraldry, languages (modern), singing. l Recommended, Warrior: Endurance. l Recommended, Priest: Ancient history, healing, languages (ancient), local history, reading/writing, spellcraft. l Recommended, Wizard: None. l Recommended, Rogue: None. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: In Zakhara, clerics of the Faith Ethical are more easily identified than their pragmatic brethren. All ethoists wear a turban adorned with the holy symbol of their particular god, rendered in a precious metal. In addition, they always have shoulder vestments, also marked with the symbol of their particular faith. Beyond these requirements, ethoists dress as they see fit. Most wear black robes while in the city, however, and loose tan or white robes while in the wilderness. Ethoists are allowed to wear any type of armor. However, if they choose to don heavy armor in the shimmering heat of Zakhara, they suffer just like anyone else. Special Benefits: Ethoists tend to receive greater assistance from their temples than pragmatists. Assuming a local temple of the appropriate faith is available, an ethical priest can request and expect the following aid (and perhaps more): l Safe haven, food, and board within the temple (or mosque or monastery). In exchange, the ethical priest is expected to help the other clergy present. This hospitality is automatically extended to as many companions as the priest has levels. (A generous and gracious temple may extend it to anyone.) 62 l A loan. Moneys borrowed may equal up to twice the ethoist’s level times a hundred (in gold pieces). The loan must be repaid within 30 days. l Muscle. An ethoist may request the services of a number of 1st-level fighters (either askars or farisan) equaling twice the priest’s level. All fighters will be equipped with chain mail and scimitars. The time of service cannot exceed the ethoist’s level in days, and the purpose of the mission should somehow advance the cause of the priest’s faith. l An ethoist assistant of the same faith. The helper’s experience level equals half that of the priest served, rounded down; up to a maximum of 4th level. The assistant may be kept for up to one week per level of the priest before having to leave. Magical Abilities: Ethoists receive spells from the standard spheres as a cleric: l Major Access: All, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, and Sun. l Minor Access: Elemental. l Forbidden Spheres: All others (except spells duplicated in one of the permitted spheres listed above). Turning Undead. An ethoist can turn the undead as a standard AD&D® game cleric. Special Hindrances: Compared to pragmatists, ethoists are more tightly tied to their church organizations. Whether they’re PCs or NPCs, clerics of the Faith Ethical are expected to follow the direction of higher-level ethoist priests within their personal faiths. Of course, some ethoists may choose not to follow such orders, but they’ll be held accountable for their actions by the church—as well as by the god or gods they worship. Ethical priests who fail to follow the directives of their faith lose the special benefits outlined above and are “demoted” to pragmatist status. Further, ethoists who act in a fashion that is blatantly harmful to their personal religion, its followers, its deity, or its priesthood will be cast out of the faith, unable to receive spells, succor, or other benefit until proper atonement (from the spell of that name) is made. Wealth Options: Ethoists have starting funds of 3d6 × 10 gp. After purchasing initial goods, they must return all remaining funds (except 2 to 3 gp) to the

church—which in turn may lend them money when needed. (See “Special Benefits” for details.) Races: Members of any race may be clerics of the Faith Ethical, save those forbidden by the rules to have priests. Priests of nonhuman races may worship “human” gods, or their own racial interpretation of these gods, and vice versa. Under the tenets of the Faith Ethical, each deity has a manifestation that is most pleasing to its worshipers. This manifestation is a real physical being. Most worshipers believe that their god’s true appearance is that of their own race; another race’s perception of the same god is an altered manifestation, which the god creates purely to aid their comprehension of his or her greatness. Cleric of the Faith Moral (Moralist) The moralist wing of the organized faiths of Zakhara are the heart and fire of their churches, the keepers of the true faith, the sword of their god’s vengeance, and the protectors of their people. They are the most militant of their god’s worshipers as well as the most fervent, zealous in pursuing the goals of their personal faiths. At best, moralists cannot understand why anyone would choose not to share their beliefs. At their worst, they seek to convert others by fire and sword. Most organized faiths have a moralist wing, or at least a few moralist individuals mixed in with the ethical hierarchy. Faiths that have a large number of moralist priests tend toward holy crusades and, on a national level, holy wars. The Priests of the Pantheon, for example, are heavily moralistic; as a result, the cities of the Pantheist League are the most repressive to other faiths. (See Chapter 1 for a brief overview of Zakhara’s geography.) Requirements: Moralist clerics must be lawful, though they may be good, neutral, or evil, according to the tendency of the god(s) they worship. Although they may be of any race, organized moralists of a given faith tend to be of a single homogeneous race. Similarly, moralist priests may be of either gender, but men and women are normally segregated, either in different buildings or even separate temples. Whatever their personal faith, moralists take vows of celibacy and chastity. Their lives are highly structured by the church. (For this reason, most are NPCs rather than PCs.) Role: Moralists are the most zealous of all the Clerics of Order. To many Zakharans, moralists are also the most dangerous. (Of course, to those who embrace compatible ideals, moralists can be charismatic rolemodels.) Each moralist believes that his or her own faith is correct. While other Zakharans may be equally devout in their daily lives, few are as intolerant of other religious beliefs as the moralists. To moralists of a given faith, all correct actions are dictated by their god, and all life is encompassed by the worship of that god alone. While they accept pragmatists and ethoists of the same faith, they still look down upon them and are little more than civil. Priests from other faiths are openly disliked, as are hakimas, kahins, and mystics. Characters using strange magics—such as sha’irs, elementalists, and outlanders—are openly despised. Unless sanctioned by the appropriate god, distractions of earthly concern are pronounced counterproductive, to be avoided at all costs. While moralists are permitted to go out among “ordinary” people, they may do so only when they have specific missions in mind, never for simple pleasure or relaxation. For example, a moralist might be told, “Preach the holy word among the people, and find out what those lazy ethoists in the next town are up to now.” A stern face and a closed mind are the hallmarks of moralists; lightheartedness and an easygoing attitude are not. To others, it often seems that they derive no joy from their faith, or perhaps that their only “pleasure” stems from attempting to remain joyless themselves while squelching the joy in others. Even actions encouraged by the gods may be conducted in a grim and serious manner. For example, priests of a goddess of charity make sure that every dinar they give away is accompanied by a stiff lecture on self-worth. And moralist priests of a certain god of wine tend to be sullen drunks. Insobriety and devoutness might seem incongruous, but moralists can never go too far in the service of their gods; to them, excess in the name of faith is no sin. Moralists are excellent and profuse record-keepers, since they feel they may be called upon to offer proof for anything they say or do. They are expected to communicate early and often with their higher-ups. That suits the more powerful moralists just fine. But 63

moralists also continually submit long, verbose reports to all higher-ranking clerics in their church, which drives the relatively passive ethoists to distraction, while pragmatists just “lose” the letters, unopened. Members of this kit are most comfortable with other moralists of the same gender, race, and faith. They realize that they can’t help those who are cursed by the “wrong” gender or race. But faith is another matter entirely. Moralists are enthusiastic in their attempts to convert others to their beliefs. They are equally spirited in encouraging those of their own faith to live closer to the “true” tenets of their moralist faction. A moralist can provide lively debate and a bit of fun (for others) in mixed groups—at least until a rival holy slayer drops an adder into the pontificating priest’s sleeping roll. As noted above, few player characters are moralists. (Due to their restrictions and attitude, moralists are difficult to run as PCs.) Meeting NPC moralists can create an interesting encounter. If PCs are of the same faith, the moralists may encourage them to higher goals of propriety. Or the NPCs may serve as opposition from radically different faiths. With likeminded farisan and holy slayers as backup, moralist priests are often selected for difficult missions— especially missions in which they must deal with heretics and infidels. (Remember, they particularly disdain sha’irs and elementalists.) Weapon Proficiencies: Moralists may take any weapon allowed to priests. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiencies: Religion, debate. l Recommended, General: Cooking, etiquette, heraldry, languages (modern), weaving. l Recommended, Warrior: None. l Recommended, Priest: Ancient history, bureaucracy, healing, languages (ancient), local history, reading/ writing. l Recommended, Wizard and Rogue: None. l Forbidden: All proficiencies that aren’t general or priestly in nature. (Explains one moralist, “If the gods had wished for us to know blind-fighting or animal lore, they would have given it to us at the outset.”) Equipment: Clerics of the Faith Moral are always found in their official vestments. Each cleric’s church provides the appropriate uniform, but clerics themselves are responsible for upkeep and cleaning. Vestments include the following: robes of a sanctioned solid color (dark colors are usually acceptable, but the proper hues vary from church to church); a matching turban and veil for both genders; sandals; and the priest’s holy symbol, which must be prominently displayed. Beneath the vestments, clerics of the Faith Moral usually wear chain armor. If other types of armor are required, they must look appropriate—that is, creating no confusion as to the priest’s moralist nature. Special Benefits: Members of this kit can count on the support of their own temples to a greater degree than pragmatists and ethoists. Specifically, a moralist can request and expect the following aid (and possibly more) from the local church of his or her own faith: l Safe haven, food, and board within the local temple (or mosque or monastery). The moralist priest is under no obligation to help the other clergy present in the temple, other than to encourage them to live their lives correctly. l A loan. The priest can borrow up to three times his or her experience level times a hundred, in gold pieces. The money should be repaid within 30 days. l Muscle. A moralist can request the services of a number of 1st-level fighters equaling three times his or her level. Either askars or farisan will respond. All fighters will be equipped with chain mail and scimitars. The time of service cannot exceed the moralist’s level in days, and the purpose of the mission should somehow advance the cause of the priest’s faith. l An assistant who follows the same faith (and who is also a moralist, if available). The assistant is responsible for keeping all papers and notes. The helper’s experience level equals half that of the priest served, rounded down, with a maximum of 4th level. The assistant may be kept for up to one week per level of the moralist priest before having to return. l Clout. The moralist can give orders to lower-level moralist priests of the same faith and expect those orders to be followed to the letter. (An individual who fails to follow a superior’s instructions may be cast out of the faith, as described under “Special Hindrances” below.) Magical Abilities: Moralists may gain spells from the standard spheres as a cleric: 64

l Major Access: All, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, and Sun. l Minor Access: None. l Forbidden Spheres: All others, including elemental. (No spells are allowed unless duplicated in one of the permitted spheres listed above.) Turning Undead. Moralist priests can turn and control the undead like standard clerics in the AD&D® game. Special Hindrances: Moralists are tightly tied to their hierarchies. An order from a higher-level moralist priest of the same faith is to be followed to the letter. Those who fail to do so are outcast from their church. Outcasts lose all benefits from their church organization until they atone (as for the spell). Even after this effort, the formerly faithful are restored with the organizational benefits of ethoists of the faith, not moralists. Moralists are expected to tithe 50 percent of all earnings to their church (not to PC members of the religion or other worthy causes). Before the donation is made, the priests gain the usual experience points for acquiring the wealth. Skilled in fund-raising, moralists also encourage others to contribute up to 10 percent of their income to the “correct” church. Finally, moralists suffer a 3-point penalty to all initial encounter reactions. Moralists are openly hostile toward members of other faiths. Such behavior has earned them a rather poor reputation. (The penalty does not apply to characters who have been outcast or who are hiding their moralist stature. Both are rarities, however.) Wealth Options: Moralist priests have starting funds of 3d6 × 10 gp each. Should that prove to be too meager, a priest can borrow an equal amount from the church to make further initial purchases. Once purchases are complete, each moralist is allowed to retain only 2 to 3 gp. Any surplus funds must be returned to the church. Moralists must repay all loans in full within a month. Those who fail to do so are docked that amount again; the balance due is doubled. Repayments are in addition to the 50 percent of income tithed to the church. Hence, within a month the priest must earn at least twice the amount due on the loan in order to repay it in full. Races: Members of any race may be clerics of the Faith Moral. Each tends to believe that the gods are of the same race, and that their race—whether human, half-elf, or otherwise—was created “in the gods’ image.” That image is rarely shown, however. Most moralist faiths, regardless of race, believe that any visual representation of a deity is an anathema. Such representations, they say, encourage idol worship, not the veneration of a god’s true spirit. Hence, while moralist dwarves believe that the gods are dwarves, too, they never portray their deities as such (or in any manner, for that matter). To do so would be heresy. Hakima (Wise Woman) More than a few tales from the Arabian Nights portray intelligent and outspoken women with mystical abilities. The hakima kit is modeled after such extraordinary characters. A hakima’s gaze can penetrate the veils of magic and lies to perceive the underlying truth. Although her other abilities are limited, the hakima’s insight is highly valued both in the desert and the cities of Zakhara. Requirements: Hakimas (hah-KEEM-ahs) must be female clerics, and they must have a Wisdom of 15 or higher. They may be of any alignment, though most are good or neutral. (An evil wise woman may perceive the truth, but bend it to her own ways.) Role: Wise women are not fighters or aggressors by nature, but they still know how to defend themselves. Most of their spells are defensive. They are the keepers of the home fires, the protectors of the family, and the unifier of tribes. They may rise in power to be leaders themselves, or guide others along the path to greatness. (Although women in the Land of Fate are treated with great equality compared to those in Western history, most Zakharan leaders are male.) A wise woman does not normally contest others directly; instead she opposes them more subtly, more cleverly, with champions and feints and challenges. A sultan could choose no one better than a loyal hakima to be the leader of his household, as well as his favored confidant and domestic spy. Weapon Proficiencies: Wise women are limited to the following weapons: club, staff, dart, blowgun, short 65

sword, jambiya, dagger, knife, sling, war hammer, horseman’s mace. Hakimas choose from among these weapons to fill weapon proficiency slots. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiency: None. However, hakimas may choose from all nonweapon proficiency groups without expending an extra slot. l Recommended, General: Agriculture, animal handling, brewing, cooking, debate, etiquette, haggling, languages (modem), leatherworking, pottery, seamstress/tailor, singing, swimming, weaving. l Recommended, Warrior: Animal lore, endurance, bowyer/fletcher, l Recommended, gaming, hunting, tracking. Priest: Ancient history, astrology, bureaucracy, healing, herbalism, languages (ancient), local history, musical instrument, reading/writing, spellcraft. l Recommended, Wizard: Ancient history, astrology, herbalism, languages (ancient), reading/writing, spellcraft, genie lore. l Recommended, Rogue: Ancient history, appraising, bureaucracy, disguise, forgery, local history, reading lips, ventriloquism. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: The hakima may not purchase any form of armor with her initial gold, though she may buy it later. Most hakimas don padded armor when anticipating a battle. Hakima dress ranges from ordinary to spectacular. Most women wear veils in the Land of Fate, especially in settlements. In the city, a short, diaphanous curtain serves more as a fashionable custom than as a restriction. In many areas of the hinterland, veils are optional, serving only to keep the wind off one’s face. However, a few tribes do require women hide their features behind a dark, heavy mask. In such tribes, the A wise woman’s greatest power hakimas follow suit. Special Benefits: is the ability to perceive truth—both in word and appearance. She can detect lies, discern alignment, and see polymorphed, disguised, or otherwise hidden or concealed objects. She must first be able to see, hear, or otherwise sense the target in order to use this ability. Next, the hakima (her player) must state that she is attempting to use her extraordinary perception. Finally, she must make a Wisdom check. Circumstances may modify this ability check. In critical situations, the DM instead of the player may make the roll. If the character’s senses are handicapped—for example, if she is blinded or the target is magically silenced—the DM’s best judgment applies. (The player may attempt to justify the hakima’s use of this ability in questionable situations.) A wise woman’s perception with this power depends on the situation and her experience level: l At 1st level, the wise woman can detect truth in the spoken word. Provided she makes a successful ability check, she can determine whether a speaker is truthful. Truth is subjective to the speaker. For example, if an individual truly believes he is the last Khan of Khargastan, then that belief will be revealed, not whether the individual truly is the last Khan. Failure of the ability check indicates that nothing one way or another is discerned. Only one attempt per day is allowed. The undetectable lie spell causes the wise woman to declare that the individual believes he or she is speaking the truth (if the ability check succeeds). l Also at 1st level, the wise woman may discern an individual’s true class and station in life by watching the individual eat and drink. A wise woman could discern a prince masquerading as a beggar, and vice versa. If the individual has used the disguise proficiency, the wise woman may only successfully determine that the individual is disguised, and a second successful roll is needed to reveal that person’s station. l At 3rd level, the wise woman may search for secret doors, concealed panels, or similar items. A successful ability check reveals the door, item, or passageway. l At 6th level, the wise woman is able to detect illusions as well as mirages. A successful ability check reveals the illusion or mirage for the falsehood it is, and in addition shows what is being concealed. This ability is modified by a -5 penalty if genies or geniebased magic are involved. l At 9th level, the wise woman has the ability to reveal enchantments. If observing an item or individual, a successful ability check reveals any 6 6

ensorcellment, including curses, charms, and other magics. It reveals the general nature of the enchantment, but not the specific spell. The exceptions to this are polymorph and other shapechanging spells. A successful ability check reveals both the nature of the spell and the individual who is concealed. This ability is modified by a -5 penalty if genies or genie-based magic are involved. Magical Abilities: Hakimas are allowed the following spells. Other magical abilities are limited; see “Special Hindrances.” l Major Access: All, Divination, Healing, Protection, and Sun. l Minor Access: Charm, Creation, Guardian, Weather. • Forbidden Spheres: All others (except spells duplicated in one of the permitted spheres above). Turning Undead. Hakimas cannot turn undead. Special Hindrances: The wise woman can only use magical items that are available to all classes. Although she belongs to the cleric class, she cannot use magical or clerical scrolls (even if she is able to read them). Otherwise, the hakima’s only limitations are those noted above for equipment and spells. Wealth Options: Hakimas begin play with 2d6 × 10 gp each. They are allowed to keep any gold that remains after initial purchases. Races: Only humans and half-elves may be hakimas. Kahin (Idol Priest) Kahins (KAH-hins) are idol-priests, believing that divinity is found in all things, and that through worship of certain items of power, they may come to understand the ebb and flow of mystical power and divinity in the universe. Their beliefs apparently predate the worship of the known gods of Zakhara, though their records are primarily verbal as opposed to written, kept for generations by other kahins and sympathetic rawuns. Kahins claim to draw their strength from the basic energy of the land itself, though they do respect gods of the earth, agriculture, and the desert. Some outlanders from the North mistakenly call them druids, because both groups have similar attitudes, 67

abilities, advancement, and spells. Like druids, kahins believe that all forces are in balance—but from the kahins’ viewpoint, they are continually moving against one another. The kahin symbol is six arrows arranged in an arc, all pointed downward. Although kahins are technically clerics, they use the druid tables for advancement. Like druids, they cannot turn undead. At 16th level, kahins become Aged Masters. Requirements: Kahins must first belong to the cleric class. They are always neutral, but may tend toward law or chaos, good or evil. Characters must have a Wisdom of at least 12 and a Constitution of at least 14 to qualify. All races and both genders are eligible. The unisex title is kahin (KAH-hin). The optional feminine title is kahina (KAH-hin-ah). Role: The eternal balancers, kahins are more devoted to the land, which is everlasting, than to people, who like matches are struck once and then extinguished. “The land” includes all expanses of nature, from desert to sea, arid waste to verdant valley. In fact, to destroy the desert would be as great a crime to kahins as torching a field. For this reason kahins are often considered obstructions to the growth of cities and consequently to the power of the merchant classes. Kahins are wanderers and teachers, instructing men and women to live within their boundaries rather than expanding to excessive lengths. These clerics have the most amiable relationship with others who live in peace with the environment, such as desert riders, mystics, and corsairs. Kahins are more uneasy with those who are severed from the land and who are by nature city-dwellers—for example, merchant-rogues and the organized clergy. Weapon Proficiencies: Kahins are limited to the following weapons: club, dart, spear, light horse lance, jambiya, scimitar, sling, and staff. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiency: Survival (any area but urban). l Recommended, General: Agriculture, animal handling, animal training, direction sense, firebuilding, riding (land-based), swimming, weather sense. l Recommended, Warrior: (Counts as normal number of slots) animal lore, endurance, mountaineering, set snares, tracking. l Recommended, Priest: Ancient history, astrology, herbalism, local history, religion, spellcraft, genie lore. l Recommended, Wizard: None. l Recommended, Rogue: None. l Forbidden: Haggling, bureaucracy, begging. Kahins may gain these later, should the opportunity arise, but may not take these proficiencies initially. Equipment: Kahins are not permitted to wear any armor other than hide (AC 6), nor may they carry shields. If they wear inappropriate armor, kahins cannot use their spells or special abilities. Special Benefits: Unlike the druid hierarchy, the kahin power structure includes an unlimited number of positions at higher levels. Upon attaining 16th level (by the druid experience charts), kahins join the Circle of Aged Masters. The Circle comprises incredibly old and (usually) wise men and women who exemplify the balance. At 16th level and at each level gained thereafter, kahins gain one each of the following benefits: l Immunity to one specific type of weapon (e.g., flight arrow, short sword, jambiya), including conjured and magical versions of that weapon. l Immunity to one element (sand, wind, flame, or sea) and all attacks based on that element. The Aged Master would not be harmed by entering the corresponding elemental plane. l Immunity to one creature (e.g., cobra, ghul, efreeti) provided that the Aged Master makes no attack upon that creature. Once the Aged Master makes such an attack, the immunity is null and void forever. (The DM’s best judgment applies. With proper atonement, or magic as powerful as a wish, the immunity could be restored.) Kahins cannot rise beyond 20th level; further experience is lost. Players must retire such high-level PCs but can begin anew with other kahins at 3rd level (a small bonus for achievements in a “previous life”). At 20th level, kahins are so in tune with their surroundings that they cannot succumb to death by natural causes; however, they still can be slain by a malicious force. Magical Abilities: Kahin spells are limited as follows: 6 8

l Major Access: All, Animal, Divination, Elemental, Healing, Plant, and Weather. l Minor Access: Creation, Protection, Sun. l Forbidden Spheres: All others (except spells duplicated in one of the permitted spheres above). Kahins may use all priestly magical items with these exceptions: they may not use magical armor other than hide, nor magical weapons other than those listed under “Equipment” above. Kahins who have the reading/writing proficiency may use clerical scrolls for all spheres. Turning Undead. Unlike other clerics (but like druids), kahins cannot turn undead. Special Hindrances: Kahins have no special hindrances other than the limitations noted above for spells, arms, and armor. Wealth Options: Each member of this kit begins play with 3d6 × 10 gp. Kahins may keep any gold that remains after purchases. Races: Members of any race may be kahins, including elves, half-elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. See “cleric” in Table 7 of the DMG for level limitations by race. Mystic Lone figures who stride out of the desert, mystics are strange and flamboyant Free Priests whose words have moved armies and are said to have moved mountains. They require no conventional channels to hear the gods’ words, and they shun the convenience of an orthodox hierarchy. At times they are allies of hierarchical clerics, but just as often they are foes. Mystics bring new revelations and new ideas—often gained through euphoric dancing, meditative trances, and other exotic means. At best, the organized church finds their ideas difficult to accept. Requirements: Members of this kit may be either gender and any race or faith which allows standard priests. While any alignment is allowed, most mystics lean toward a chaotic ethos. Role: Mystics are Free Priests, and while they may worship the same god or gods as their more organized cousins in the hierarchy, they follow their own agenda, one which may be at odds with that of the ordered faiths. For that reason, the extremely conservative moralists have no love of mystics of any stripe, and the feeling is mutual. There are as many types of mystics as there are mystics themselves, all of whom receive their revelations and priestly magics in a different fashion. Dervishes receive spells after inducing euphoria or a higher level of consciousness through wild and energetic dancing. For anchorites and hermits, solitude and meditation open a pathway to the gods. Some mystics sing, engage in simple work, take long walks, or employ other means to receive their spells. In this way, the mystics gain their spells much as standard priests gain enlightenment, with similar time requirements. Weapon Proficiencies: Mystics may take any weapon that a priest is allowed. In addition, they may take weapons normally forbidden to priests if they fill twice the usual number of proficiency slots. (For example, a mystic of Kor may use a battle-axe by expending two weapon proficiency slots instead of the usual one.) Mystics may not specialize in weapons. Nonweapon Proficiencies: l Bonus Proficiencies: Religion, plus one priest or general proficiency that reflects the action required to receive spells (player’s choice). Dancing, for example, is the obvious requirement for dervishes. The chosen proficiency should involve a simple task that can be repeated again and again with ease. (Engineering, for example, is not appropriate.) Mystics who receive spells through solitude and meditation do not gain a second bonus proficiency; they simply require absolute solitude to regain spells. l Recommended, General: Any. l Recommended, Warrior: Endurance, survival, display weapon prowess (all fill normal number of slots, without +1 penalty). l Recommended, Priest: Ancient history, healing, herbalism, reading/writing, spellcraft, genie lore. l Recommended, Wizard: None. l Recommended, Rogue: Begging. l Forbidden: None. Equipment: Members of this kit have no restriction on armament. Mystics are very poor initially, but those who attain success tend to drape themselves in wealth. 69

Special Benefits: Mystics use the standard advancement tables for clerics, and at sufficient level attract followers much as priests do. The followers are fanatically loyal to the mystic as opposed to merely the mystic’s religion. Magical Abilities: Mystics may gain spells from the “standard” spheres as clerics: l Major Access: All, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Summoning, and Sun. l Minor Access: Elemental. l Forbidden Spheres: All others. Turning Undead. Mystics can turn the undead like standard clerics in the AD&D® game. Special Hindrances: Mystics can only receive spells through the method they’ve chosen (see above). If a mystic is prevented from attaining that state—e.g., hobbled so he can’t dance, harangued so she can’t meditate—no spells can be gained. Mystics also suffer a 2-point penalty to reaction rolls when dealing with pragmatist and ethoist clergy, and a 4-point penalty for moralist clergy. Wealth Options: Mystics begin poor, with only one chosen weapon and 3d6 gp each. All donations are welcome after that point. Races: Any race that has normal priests may produce a mystic, as exemplified by the Dancing Dwarf warriors of the Al-Akara mountains. Nonhuman mystics are limited to their standard levels plus 2. (For example, a Dancing Dwarf dervish can reach a maximum level of 12 instead of 10.) Outland Priest The theological world of the Land of Fate is complete with its six native kits: three Clergies of Ordered Faith in civilized areas, kahins and mystics in the hinterlands, and hakimas in any social setting. But what of priests who come from other lands, who worship strange gods, and have strange and foreign practices? They belong to the group called outland priests, which includes not only “Westernized” priests but also druids, sohei, and all others from foreign lands. Like the kits for outland warriors and ajami wizards, “outland priest” is more a description than a specialization. Requirements: Outlanders have no requirements other than those for their class (or kit, if kits from The Complete Priest’s Handbook are allowed by the DM). Natives of Zakhara cannot be outland priests. Role: Most organized faiths in the Land of Fate preach tolerance. In practice, however, they keep a close eye on strangers who spread the faith of new gods, and whose gods appear to answer by granting spells. In the Land of Fate, the relationships between the churches, the gods, and the genies are rather precarious; the last thing a Zakharan priest wants is some outland barbarian upsetting the balance with a radical new faith. Weapon Proficiencies: The outland priest has the standard limitations for his or her class. Similarly, if the DM allows a kit from The Complete Priest’s Handbook, the original weapon restrictions apply. Nonweapon Proficiencies: As dictated by class or original kit. Equipment: As dictated by class or original kit. Special Benefits: Spells, spheres, and special abilities match those of an outlander’s original class or kit. Even if their gods are not known in the Land of Fate, outland priests still receive their spells and spelllike abilities. Special Hindrances: Outland priests suffer the limitations of their original class or kit. In addition, they suffer a -2 penalty to reaction rolls when encountering other human and humanoid natives of Zakhara. This penalty becomes -3 when they’re dealing with pragmatists, and -4 with ethoists and moralists. Wealth Options: Outland priests generally begin campaign play with 3d6 × 10 gp each. Those who belong to a kit from The Complete Priest’s Handbook have their usual starting funds instead. Races: Members of any race may be outland priests. Nonhuman foreigners who worship specific deities should not expect exceptional support from their Zakharan cousins. In the Land of Fate, nonhuman Zakharans have more in common with native humans than they do with oddly dressed outlanders whose ways are strange and whose gods are hostile. 70

Chapter 4 Proficiencies The Land of Fate presents its own challenges to those who adventure within its bounds. This chapter describes new proficiencies specially designed for the AL-QADIMTM campaign. In addition, characters may acquire all the proficiencies listed in the Player’s Handbook. (Consult Chapter 5 in that book for guidelines.) The proficiency system is an integral part of the AL-QADIM campaign; it is not optional. Awareness Characters with the awareness proficiency are light sleepers, always alert to danger and attuned to their immediate surroundings. They gain two key advantages: First, if they’re roused from slumber (during an attack at night, for example), they can react immediately, as if they had been awake. Provided a weapon is close at hand (a jambiya placed beneath the pillow, for instance), they can even attack during the round in which they awaken. No proficiency check is required. This ability does not affect magical slumber, however, such as that created by a sleep spell or related magicks. Second, characters with the awareness proficiency can detect and ward off the effects of a thief’s backstabbing ability. If a thief is backstabbing a target with the awareness ability, and the target is otherwise uninvolved in combat, then the target is granted a proficiency check. If the check fails, the backstabbing occurs normally. If the check succeeds and the target does not have initiative, the backstabbing proceeds, but the thief suffers a -2 attack penalty (damage bonuses still apply). If the check succeeds and the target has initiative, the target can wheel and attack the backstabbing rogue immediately, causing the rogue to lose all backstabbing bonuses and damage multipliers. Begging C haracters with this proficiency can pose as convincing beggars and procure food, spare change, and the like. While beggars never become rich, each successful use of this proficiency results in enough money to 7 1

meet a character’s basic needs at the squalid state for a single day (see Table 22 in Chapter 6 of the DMG). Nonplayer characters always fork over a little something to successful beggars. Player characters are never affected by this ploy; they respond to characters with the begging proficiency as they see fit. This proficiency enables characters to pose as beggars automatically; their real status is disguised. A proficiency check determines whether a character actually receives any money or food. Characters who beg from the same NPC more than once suffer a -2 cumulative modifier for each attempt after the first. Location also modifies the proficiency check. In small towns, beggars incur a -2 penalty, and along trade routes the penalty becomes -5. Attempts to use the begging proficiency fail automatically in the wilderness, in the desert, and at sea. No penalty applies for begging in a city. Begging is not a good way to become rich or powerful. It can, however, prove useful as a masquerade. Characters who wish to be “invisible” know that beggars are often ignored in public. In a crowded square, a bum either blends in or becomes a faceless annoyance, much like a droning fly. However, even flies should pick their hangouts carefully. In the wrong spot, such as a palace court, such insects risk being cast out or bruskly swatted. Bureaucracy C haracters who boast this proficiency are skilled at dealing with large organizations such as local governments, court systems, and church hierarchies. Bureaucrats at heart, they can obtain favors, justice, and information when others would fail. The proficiency gives them knowledge of the system, patience with its component parts, and mental quickness in realizing whom to talk to and when. The bureaucracy proficiency is only effective when a character is dealing with organizations of 10 or more people. The governing of a good-sized city, the adjudicating of a docket of cases before a pasha, the decisions of the official church—all require a large number of individuals, and the bureaucracy proficiency makes a difference. However, a group of village elders in a small town and the lord of an oasis have no need of complex organizations; nor are they impressed by a character who has skill in handling them. Paperwork and red tape are no problem for characters with this proficiency. They know the proper protocol in dealing with clerks. They can prepare (or make sure others prepare) the required documentation, and they can vouch that all such matters are performed correctly. The normal issuing time for any documentation or permit is halved, and cases for reviews are guaranteed quick attention. No proficiency check is required. TABLE 5: New Proficiencies Proficiency Awareness Begging Bureaucracy Debate Display Weapon Prowess Genie Lore Grooming Haggling Metalworking Riding, Horse Specialization Riding, Camel Specialization Class Warrior, Rogue Rogue Priest, Rogue General Warrior Priest, Wizard Rogue General General Warrior, Rogue Warrior, Rogue No. of Slots Ability Modifier 2 Wisdom 0 1 Charisma 0 2 Wisdom 0 1 Intelligence 0 1 Dexterity 0 1 Intelligence 0 2 Dexterity 0 2 Wisdom 0 1 Dexterity 0 2 Wisdom +4 2 Wisdom +4 72

This proficiency also may be used to turn organized groups against a certain individual, or to make sure that important documents are lost, information is given to the wrong person, or casework is brought up too soon (or forgotten entirely while a prisoner languishes in a dungeon). This kind of bureaucratic maneuver requires a successful proficiency check. If a natural 20 is rolled, the character attempting to pervert the wheels of truth and justice suddenly falls prey to the bureaucracy’s own scrutiny. (At the DM’s discretion, bribes may be required to set things right, or to prevent a short-term jail sentence.) Otherwise, a failed check doubles the normal amount of time for all decisions and/or issuances. If individuals on both sides of an issue are trying to speed and slow the process, they cancel each other out if both proficiency checks succeed. Debate Characters with the debate proficiency can hold their own during heated discussions, remaining quick-witted and cool-tempered. They do not gain the ability to convince guards or holy warriors of their viewpoints, however. Nor can they sway the thinking of unruly hordes or skeptical masses. This proficiency does allow them to engage in meaningful arguments, impressing others with their mental faculties. As a result, debaters gain a +2 bonus to encounter reactions. (See Table 59 in Chapter 11 of the DMG.) When they’re attempting to smooth ruffled feathers, the bonus is subtracted from the result on the dice. When they’re attempting to enrage another character with cheek and guile, the bonus is added to the dice roll. An individual with the debate proficiency is quite engaging. As a result, a character verbally battling one-on-one with such a debater is less watchful of his or her surroundings. Pickpocket attempts against that character are at +5 percent, the character’s initiative is at +3, and the character’s ability or proficiency checks are at -3. (The debater does not suffer these penalties unless doing battle with another debater.) Debaters cannot automatically preoccupy others, however. An individual must be willing to talk in the first place before a debater can use this proficiency. Further, the proficiency doesn’t work unless the targeted individual is at least cautious toward the debater (if they saw eye to eye, there would be nothing to debate). Assuming these conditions are met, the debate begins. It continues until the target makes a d20 roll higher than his or her Intelligence score. (The smarter the individual, the livelier the debate, and the harder it is to end it.) Debate also ends if a sudden action or activity interrupts it—for example, a failed pickpocketing attempt, a sudden attack or magical explosion, a scream from the harem, and so forth. As soon as the debate ends, so do the penalties noted above (to initiative, ability and proficiency checks, and the likelihood of being robbed by a pickpocket). Two individuals with the debate proficiency can seek to best each other in verbal sparring. In this case, both make proficiency checks each round until one fails. Both characters are preoccupied; they suffer the penalties noted above while engaging each other in debate. Display Weapon Prowess Characters who have this proficiency can put on an impressive display of weapon prowess without fighting at all—swords whooshing in a blur, daggers flashing, arrows splitting melons in two. An individual must use a weapon with which he or she is already proficient, but weapon specialization has no further effect. The “show” takes at least a round. Those who are impressed are forced to make a morale check. (Results are outlined below.) Not everyone is swayed by weapon prowess. Characters must pay attention before this proficiency has an impact. For example, this skill might be useful in staring down a guard at the city gate, but would do nothing against a screaming mob or a charging band of desert raiders. Further, characters who have this proficiency must be of equal or higher level (or Hit Dice) than their 73

audience to impress them. For instance, low-level warriors with flashing blades might awe the equally low-level city guards. But bullying their way through the sultan’s elite vanguard would be another matter entirely. Creatures of higher level or Hit Dice than an individual using display weapon prowess are not impressed; they do not make morale checks. Morale Check Results: Characters who make successful morale checks can see that an individual with this proficiency handles a weapon well; otherwise they’re unaffected. Characters who fail their morale checks react in a manner suited to the circumstances at hand. If the situation isn’t desperate, and violence isn’t inevitable, characters who fail their checks are likely to try talking to the individual with weapon prowess; else they’ll simply back away. They won’t surrender outright, but they’ll realize that the individual is not the sort to trifle with. In some instances, walking away and talking things over are not viable options. For example, if guards at the sultan’s treasury fail their checks, they’ll stay at their posts and remain willing to fight. If forced into combat, however, they’ll suffer a -1 attack penalty. Player characters are not affected by morale checks. If an individual with this proficiency attempts to awe a PC, the DM should provide a frank evaluation of the display, based on level and success. For example, the DM might say, “She looks darned good with that sword. Your PC might be able to beat her in a fair fight,” or “This son of a dark camel looks like he picked up his swordsmanship watching jesters in the marketplace.” Then it’s up to the player to decide how the PC reacts. Genie Lore Characters with this proficiency are versed in the nature and background of all geniekind, from the smallest elemental gen to the grandest noble pasha or caliph. They know the proper manner for greeting and conversing with a genie—in other words, the manner least likely to offend the creature. In contrast, other characters must rely on successful Charisma checks both initially and every time they commit a potential faux pas (in the DM’s opinion). Characters who have genie lore also know the hierarchy and organization of geniekind. At a glance, they can tell whether a creature is a marid, djinni, dao, or efreeti. They can also say whether a creature they’re conversing with is noble or base. If a genie is masquerading as a common human, a successful proficiency check reveals the ruse. If this check fails, perception is completely reversed from the truth. In other words, the genie seems definitely to be a common person, and a common person seems definitely to be a genie. A character with genie lore can perform only one check per “suspect.” The DM rolls this check separately and secretly (not revealing the true results). If an individual with genie lore has no reason to be suspicious, the check is made with half the usual proficiency score, rounded down. Genie lore also enables a character to detect the work of genies—that is, the physical manifestation of genie spells, as well as items created by a genie’s spelllike abilities. The chance of success is limited. The character makes the proficiency check using half the usual score, rounded down. If successful, the individual may discern, for example, whether a wall has been constructed by genie-magic, whether a meal was summoned into being by a djinni, or whether a princess is enamored magically by the effects of a daogranted limited wish. Genie lore does not enable a character to detect genies moving invisibly through the immediate area. Nor does it help the character see through an extraordinary disguise unless the genie is working some wonder of magic at the time. Grooming Grooming is the ability to make another look his or her best—with clean skin, well-trimmed hair, and a virtually unmarred complexion. This skill is usually the province of barbers (see Chapter 3). Grooming takes about an hour, and after that the patron gains a +2 bonus to encounter reactions when dealing with individuals of his or her own race. The same bonus applies when the patron interacts with geniekind (genies always appreciate a well-groomed supplicant). The effect lasts for two days after the grooming. (Only one reaction roll is required for a 74

given individual encountered during that time, however.) When combined with the disguise proficiency, grooming enables characters to disguise others just as well as they can disguise themselves. All modifications for disguise still apply, as listed in Table 37 of the Player’s Handbook. Haggling Check with the DM before taking this proficiency. While it enhances the flavor of the AL-QADIMTM campaign, haggling may result in PCs spending too much time at the bazaar and too little time on the battlefield (or in other realms of high adventure). The bazaar is a place of give and take, where steep prices are demanded and modest amounts are paid. The price list for equipment in Chapter 6 shows three amounts for each item. The first is the “asking price,” the second the “normal price,” and the third the “bargain price.” If the DM chooses to avoid all haggling, only the normal price applies. But if haggling is allowed, then all three prices come into play in the AL-QADIM campaign. The asking price is just that—what a merchant typically asks for a given item when a buyer points it out. A poor haggler usually ends up paying that price. The bargain price reflects the most successful result of a haggling character, while the normal price reflects a middle ground—a sort of standoff or compromise between buyer and seller. Here’s how the proficiency works in play. A buyer with the haggling proficiency—usually a PC—points to an item for sale and asks the price. (Prices are rarely posted.) Variations exist, but as a general rule, merchants are assumed to have the haggling proficiency too, with a Wisdom of 14 to back it up. (In other words, their haggling score is 14.) The PC makes a haggling check. The DM does the same for the merchant. Results are as follows: • If the buyer makes a successful check but the merchant doesn’t, the item will sell for the bargain price—usually with some complaint by the merchant. (“You are stealing from me! You remember that it was I who was so good to you when next you need supplies. Now, what else may I show you?”) 75

l If both the buyer and the seller make successful checks, the merchant will not settle for less than the normal price, regardless of bickering. l If both the buyer and the seller fail their checks, the merchant won’t settle for less than the normal price (the “fine price,” the “excellent price,” the “price that barely feeds my wife and my ten sick children—a virtual killing!”). l If the buyer fails the check but the seller succeeds, the merchant will hold firm to the asking price, and no amount of haggling will change it. (“Hah! You insult me with your swine-headed ways! If you think you can get a better price, then go somewhere else! Now, what else may I show you?”) Lacking the haggling proficiency is the same as failing the proficiency check. For example, if the buyer lacks the proficiency, and the seller’s proficiency check fails, then the normal price applies. If the PCs are together, only one of them can haggle for a particular item; a merchant won’t begin anew with another player character. Further, the price of an item determined by haggling applies throughout the business day. Return attempts are useless until the next morning. If the character wishes to buy another item of the same type, the previous price automatically applies. A character can haggle for another kind of item right away, but could not, for example, attempt to buy a second waterskin that day from the same merchant for a better price. At the DM’s option, merchants may decide not to haggle with a PC who appears not to have the asking price in hand. (Why should merchants waste effort on a pauper who has no intention of buying?) “Let me see your silver” is a common response to a questionable buyer’s attempt to haggle. Bazaars are packed with all manner of goods, some rare and strange, such as armor imported from northern realms or an occasional coffee-pouring automaton. If an item is not listed in Chapter 6, the DM should set a normal price, add 50 percent to determine the asking price, and subtract 25 percent from the normal price to find the bargain price. For example, a set of fine crystalline cups might have a normal price of 100 gp. The asking price would be 150 gp, and the bargain price would be 75 gp. 76 Haggling should enhance the flavor of adventures in the Land of Fate, with appropriate role-playing to supplement the proficiency checks. The DM should not allow it to dominate or otherwise slow the campaign. Metalworking C haracters with this proficiency can work artistically in silver, copper, gold, tin, brass, and other soft metals. They produce the beautiful and useful metal items common to any bazaar—oil lamps, coffee pots, vases, trays, and the like. A successful proficiency check results in a useful item of high quality. Failure may indicate that a craftsman has fashioned something ugly and unsuited for sale. More often (and for PCs), failure means that an item still looks pleasing, but is somehow flawed or fragile, and fails when put to the test. (For example, the pot leaks, a handle breaks, and so forth.) Characters with an artistic ability proficiency that relates to metalworking gain a +1 bonus. While metalworking does allow characters to fashion iron or steel with some deftness, it does not grant them the ability to make effective weapons or armor. Metalworkers may attempt to repair nonmagical armor that’s made of metal, but a failed proficiency check results in the destruction of the armor. (Characters seeking armor repair should visit a metalworker only as a last resort; armorers are far better suited to the task.) Riding, Horse Specialization C haracters with this proficiency can ride and perform stunts on horseback even better than characters with the land-based riding proficiency described in the Player’s Handbook. Horse specialization enables a rider to do everything that land-based riding involves, plus the following: l The rider suffers no damage from falling from a horse, provided that a proficiency check is made. l The character can leap or vault onto a moving horse upon making a successful proficiency check. Failure indicates that the rider lies sprawled in the dust, suffering no damage other than battered pride.

l While seated, the rider can grab an item from the ground even if the horse is at a full gallop, upon making a successful proficiency check. A handkerchief is easy to snare. A living target, however, has the opportunity to fight back. Should, for example, a damsel happen to punch her would-be rescuer, the horseman’s attempt would fail. l The character automatically can ride bareback with no discomfort or loss in ability. The character can even use spears or lances without need of a saddle. In addition to combat benefits, characters with this proficiency are masters at caring for horses, able to identify horse afflictions and tell immediately the quality of a horse (as noted in Chapter 6 of the Dungeon Muster’s Guide). Characters who combine this proficiency with animal training can break a horse of unpleasant traits in one to four (1d4) weeks, provided both proficiency checks are made. Similarly, they can use both proficiencies to train a horse to perform a trick in just 1d4 weeks (instead of the usual 2d6 weeks required with animal training alone). A horse can learn only 1d4 tricks in this speedy fashion. The tricks are not bonuses; they count toward the total number of feats (2d4) that any horse can learn. This proficiency applies only to horsemanship. If any other mount is used—including related creatures such as zebras or unicorns—the benefits do not apply. Riding, Camel Specialization This proficiency resembles the one above, but rather than riding and keeping horses, camelriders become masters of camels. A character with this proficiency gains the following skills: l The rider can fall from a camel and suffer no damage upon making a successful proficiency check. l The character can vault onto a moving camel upon making a successful check—assuming there are ropes, saddles, or patches of fur to allow such mounting. (This feat is more difficult than vaulting onto a horse.) Failure indicates that the individual is sprawled in the dust, but suffers no damage beyond a battered pride. l Upon making a successful proficiency check, the camel-rider can grab an item while riding past it, provided the item is within reach (typically having a handhold at least 3 feet above the ground). Living targets can fight back, and if they succeed the rider, the attempt to grab is foiled. in striking l The character can ride a camel without a saddle and suffer no discomfort or loss in ability. The character can even use spears or lances while riding bareback. l The rider can persuade a camel to move at twice its normal daily movement rate for up to 10 days without ill consequence, provided that a proficiency check is made each day. This does not mean that the rider’s camel is moving faster—only that the character has urged an otherwise recalcitrant beast to keep to its path. A rider with this proficiency is also a master at caring for camels, able to identify camel afflictions and immediately discern the quality of a camel. (See Chapter 6 in the DMG.) A camel-rider who also has the animal training proficiency can break a camel of unpleasant proficiency traits in 1d4 weeks, provided both checks are made. Similarly, an individual with both proficiencies can train a camel to perform a particular trick in 1d4 weeks (such as “come when called” or “don’t bite unless I give the command”). Such a trick is not a bonus; it counts toward the total number of feats (2d4) that any This proficiency refers only camel can learn. to camels; if any other mount is used, the benefits do not apply. (To receive those benefits, the character must take the land-based riding proficiency for the new mount.) 77

78 Chapter 5 Perils of Adventure Zakhara is a land of unrivaled wonder and riches, but it is also fraught with danger. This chapter describes some of the perils that await adventurers, from nature’s wrath to the mysterious evil eye. Though her land can be harsh, Fate often smiles upon those in need. This chapter also describes how characters can call upon Fate at the moment when all hope seems lost. If she responds, this all-powerful force may provide a means of escape just when no escape seems possible, a way to survive just as death seems imminent and the buzzards have begun to circle in the sky above. Armor in Fiery Zakhara Some foreigners—especially pale-faced characters from the distant North—have dubbed Zakhara “the Burning World.” Whether the setting is city, sea, desert, or jungle, the Land of Fate is uniformly hot by day, especially during the summer months. Only the high mountains of northern Zakhara offer relief from the searing midday sun, but in turn they offer new difficulties, such as unsteady footing and sheer slopes. The omnipresent daytime heat shapes every aspect of life in the Land of Fate. Resting (or at least slowing the pattern of business) is common during the midday hours. Bazaars are busy during the early morn and late afternoon. But in between they may be empty, save for a few dozing businessmen and half-crazed barbers flashing their blades in the sun. The most obvious concession to climate is dress. Loose robes are preferred to tight-fitting leggings. More importantly from a gaming standpoint, the heat also affects a Zakharan’s choice in armor. The heavy plate mail found in the distant North is a rarity here, used for occasional pomp and ceremony if at all. Full metal plate armor, encasing the body from head to toe, is unknown to the common Zakharan; those few suits which exist are collectors’ items, procured for their magic or as curiosities. The reason for this is simple: heavy armor makes movement difficult and even dangerous in a hot climate. Foreigners who insist on wearing such armor often stagger and pass out with exertion. Even with “exhaustive”

training, a man in full plate will be less effective in the Land of Fate than a man who chooses his armor more prudently. While adventuring in the AL-QADIMTM campaign, characters wearing armor better than studded leather or ring mail—that is, better than AC 7—suffer a penalty to attack rolls, as well as to proficiency and ability checks. This penalty is -1 per class of armor better than 7. Hence, an AC 6 character suffers a -1 penalty to attack rolls as well as proficiency and ability checks, and an AC 5 character suffers a -2 penalty to the same. A fighter in plate armor with a shield, who is Armor Class 2, suffers a -5 penalty to the rolls noted above. These penalties apply only to Armor Class ratings due directly to items that are worn. Natural Armor Classes are unaffected. For example, a lizard-man in Zakhara is still Armor Class 5. He suffers no penalties unless he dons a suit of heavy armor, in which case he would incur a -1 penalty for every level of improvement. Bonuses due to an armor’s magic rather than its weight or strength also do not count toward this penalty. For example, if Fatima dons a suit of +2 leather, her Armor Class becomes 6, but she suffers no penalties. If she wears a suit of +4 field plate armor, her effective Armor Class becomes -2, but she suffers the same penalty as a character wearing normal field plate: -5. In other words, a character wearing magical armor suffers no more penalty than an individual wearing normal armor of the same type. Daraqs and Bucklers (Optional Rule) Daraqs and bucklers are very small, lightweight shields. (See Chapter 6 for further details.) Unlike bulkier shields, they do not worsen a character’s Armor Class. For example, a desert rider wearing studded leather and carrying a daraq does not suffer an Armor Class penalty. If the same rider trades the daraq for a regular shield, the penalty is -1. Desert Survival Deserts in the Land of Fate vary from vast seas of dunes to rocky outcrops to steppes that briefly turn green with the spring rains. All of these regions have one thing in common, one quality that makes TABLE 6: Armor Class Ratings and Penalties Type of Armor None Shield Only Leather Armor Padded Armor Leather + Shield Padded + Shield Studded Leather Ring Mail Studded Leather + Shield Ring Mail + Shield Brigandine Scale Mail Hide Armor Lamellar Armor Scale Mail + Shield Hide Armor + Shield Lamellar + Shield Brigandine + Shield Chain Mail Chain + Shield Splint Mail Banded Mail Bronze Plate Mail Splint Mail + Shield Banded Mail + Shield Bronze Plate Mail + Shield Plate Mail Plate Mail + Shield Field Plate Field Plate + Shield Full Plate Full Plate + Shield AC 10 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 Penalty 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -3 -3 -3 -3 - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 -5 -5 - 6 - 6 -7 them deserts: they lack water. Even the steppe that turns green on occasion is parched and dry as a whole, only teasing its inhabitants with intense but brief seasonal downpours. In the AL-QADIM campaign, adventurers traveling through desert terrain are definitely concerned with water. Well-provisioned parties or individuals capable of desert survival can worry less about the heat, but all player characters eventually risk being lost in the desert and falling prey to dehydration. 79

Dehydration The average living individual in the Land of Fate must consume one gallon of fresh water per 24-hour period to sustain normal activity. A character that is relatively inactive—for instance, sitting, resting, or sleeping—requires only half a gallon. By restricting activity to the shade or traveling only at night, characters can halve their daily requirements: an active character needs one-half gallon and an inactive character requires one-quarter gallon. Encumbered individuals double their required water intake, such that an active character requires two gallons and an inactive character needs one gallon. Characters with the desert survival proficiency fare better than others in desert terrain. (See “Survival” in Chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook.) With a successful proficiency check, they can find or obtain one gallon of water per day. The water is typically of poor quality—a puddle beneath a crust of mud, for example—but it’s sufficient for survival. As a result, a character with this proficiency stands a fair chance of staying alive when lost in the desert, but is of little help to others. In particularly barren and desolate areas, penalties to the desert survival proficiency may apply (as the DM sees fit). Dehydration is reflected by a loss of Constitution. It begins the first day in which a character does not receive the required allotment of water, with the following effects: TABLE 7: Dehydration Water Consumed Per Day Constitution Loss Full requirement None Half or more of requirement 1d4 Less than half of requirement 1d6 Constitution losses are cumulative over consecutive days of dehydration. Qualities linked to Constitution drop accordingly: hit point adjustment, system shock, resurrection survival, poison save, and regeneration rate. Each time a character’s hit point adjustment drops a point, his or her hit points also drop—by a number equal to the character’s level. (For dual- or multi-class characters, the class with the highest level applies.) Thus, if Hakim is a 6th-level thief, he’ll lose 6 hit points each time his hit point adjustment decreases 1 point. A character whose Constitution drops to 0 or less is dead, with a resurrection survival chance of 25 percent. Dehydrated characters regain 1d8 points of Constitution for each day in which they receive their full requirement of water, until they attain their usual maximum. Hit points which have been lost due to dehydration are regained normally. Characters who move at night must find shelter during the day to rest (tents or rocky outcroppings will suffice). Those without shelter must make a successful saving throw versus poison in order to rest well. Characters denied sound rest may not memorize spells or recover hit points. Animals: Water is also a concern for animals in the desert heat. Those failing to receive the allotments shown on the table below succumb to dehydration. TABLE 8: Dehydration, Animal Animal Size* Daily Water Requirement Tiny (2 ft. or less) 1/8 Gallon Small (4 ft. or less) 1/2 Gallon Man-sized (4 ft. to 7 ft.) 1 Gallon Large (7-plus ft. to 12 ft.) 4 Gallons Huge (12-plus ft. to 25 ft.) 8 Gallons Gargantuan (25 ft.) 16 Gallons * As defined in the Monstrous Compendium. Elephants and horses are both large creatures, and as such require four gallons each per day. Camels and some other creatures native to the desert are an exception to these rules. Provided it is initially well-watered and fed, a camel can go up to a seven days without suffering the ill effects of dehydration. On the eighth day, however, normal effects for dehydration set in. At the end of each day that an animal does not get its full requirement of water, there is a 10 percent chance that it will die. The chance is cumulative, increasing by 10 percent with each successive day. On the day that an animal again drinks a full allotment of water, it is completely rehydrated; future checks for death by dehydration start at 10 percent. 8 0

Wind and Sand Dehydration is not the only enemy for those journeying through the desert. High winds can lift sand and dust into a choking, blinding storm that can scour individuals as well as property. Characters trapped in such a storm without protection suffer 1d2 points of damage per round. In addition, they must make a saving throw vs. wands; those who fail are blinded (per the spell) for 1d6 turns. A tent or rock outcropping offers sufficient protection from the storm; so does lying prone with a cloth across the eyes, nose, and mouth. Further, the protection from normal missiles spell and similar magics can protect the individual unless the storm is magical in origin. In addition to inflicting the damage noted above, desert storms can bury characters alive, eventually causing them to suffocate. So can certain spells that trigger sandslides or move dunes. (See Chapter 8 for details on spells.) Characters who are buried alive by a desert storm can dig themselves out in 1d3 rounds. Those buried by an avalanche of sand—whether natural or caused by a spell—can dig free in 1d6 rounds unless otherwise noted in the spell description. Crawling out of a sandy grave is no simple task. For each round spent digging toward the surface, a character must make a Strength check as well as a Constitution check. A successful Strength check reduces the time required for escape by one round; failure has no effect. In contrast, a failed Constitution check results in the loss of 1d4 points of Constitution, while a successful Constitution check neither helps nor hinders the character. An individual reduced to 0 Constitution cannot move. If no help is forthcoming, the paralyzed character will suffocate in 1d10 rounds. A number of variables can delay or retard suffocation, however, including spells and magical items which reduce or eliminate the need to breathe. The endurance proficiency enables a character to make a Constitution check every other round instead of every round, but it does not affect the required Strength checks. Assuming they know where to dig, other characters can rescue an individual who has been buried alive. For every round in which they dig downward, wouldbe rescuers reduce the number of rounds required for escape by one. Excavating time is the same no matter how many characters dig. Rescuers can dig out an individual who has reached 0 Constitution, and is unable to move. Constitution lost while a character is buried alive is regained at 1 point per turn. Hit points are unaffected by Constitution lost in this fashion. Constitution may never be regained to a level higher than a character’s usual maximum. Calling Upon Fate There is no Fate but the Fate which we are given. —Zakharan proverb I n Zakhara, Fate is the force which guides and shapes the lives of everyone, and all Zakharans know her power. Is she a god? The god of gods? Powerful ruler of the genies? Or simply a pervasive force beyond true comprehension? The answers are for the sha’irs and priests to debate. For others, it matters not who Fate is, but what she does. She is the weaver of Time, supplying threads of the future and mixing them with threads of the past. She graciously provides the basis for all victories, and she is the justification for all defeats. She does not excuse characters who do not do their best, however; their future is in their own hands as well as in the hand of Fate. Win or lose, she is always there, the supreme mediator and guardian of the future. Dehydration, blinding storms, sandslides that bury characters alive—these are but a few of the perils faced by characters in Fate’s burning land. She is not without mercy, however. Characters who find themselves in dire and deadly straits can call upon Fate for aid. She may smile upon those who call her, but she also may turn her hand against them. Most Zakharans try to avoid placing themselves in need of such divine intervention. How to call Upon Fate To call upon Fate, a character must be in a position where survival is doubtful at best. For example, a character without a weapon, surrounded by a pride of hungry panthers, would be in a sufficiently desperate situation. So would someone trapped in a back alley by an angry contingent of the sultan’s guard. So, too, 82

would a character trapped in a well, into which a flame wizard is about to cast a fireball; or a character falling from a flying carpet half a mile above the ground. Lifeand-death situations are preferred. Calling upon Fate requires a percentage roll. If the result is 01 or 02, Fate intervenes on the character’s behalf. If the result is 96 or more, the hand of Fate turns against the asker. (Results are described below.) Clerics of Order are an exception. They, too, make percentage rolls, but they have a better chance of success, regardless of their personal faith or their place in the religious hierarchy. When a pragmatist, ethoist, or moralist calls upon Fate, the cleric’s chance of success equals 20 minus his or her experience level, to a minimum of 2 percent. (Fate favors the young.) If the result is 98 or more, the hand of Fate turns against the asker. Clerics who escape with their lives would be wise to donate extra funds to their churches; an amount totaling each priest’s experience level times 1,000 should suffice. An individual should call upon Fate rarely, at most once per week. Each additional call within a given week increases the chance that Fate will turn against the asker by 5 percent (DM’s option). If player characters tend to call upon Fate every time they’re in a jam, this penalty is highly recommended. Fate’s Response If Fate intervenes on a character’s behalf, the DM is responsible for coming up with some good fortune that gives the individual at least a fighting chance. For example, in the case of the panthers, the moonlight might suddenly glint upon the blade of an old weapon, fortuitously buried in the nearby sand. In the case of the city guard, a higher-up might suddenly shout, “You fools! Take the prisoner alive!” For the character about to be incinerated in a well, a scattering of rocks might break loose, revealing a small passage in the side of the well. And for the plummeting character, a large eagle might fly nearby, allowing the character to grab hold and slow his or her fall. Alternately, a passing djinni might take an interest in the plummeting mortal, and begin negotiating terms of a rescue. Should the mortal hesitate, the djinni might even save the character just as the ground loomed up from below. 83

At the very least, a character upon whom Fate smiles should be granted a +4 bonus to one immediate saving throw—even a saving throw where none would otherwise be available. Alternately, the character could receive a +4 bonus for one immediate attack (handy for a character surrounded by killers). Whatever happens, the DM should not provide the character with an automatic rescue—only with the raw material with which he or she can survive. For example, if the panthers were to suddenly fall to the ground, dead, that would be going too far. The hand of Fate works a bit like the old serial plots from the 1920s and beyond; the hero seems doomed and hopeless, but when a new reel begins, some means of escape miraculously appears, allowing his saga of perils to continue. If Fate turns her hand against the asker, the individual suffers a -4 penalty to all saving throws, attacks, proficiency checks, and other random rolls for the next six turns. Of course, in a truly desperate situation, the character may die before six turns elapse. Such are the risks of tempting Fate. The Evil Eye (Optional Rule) Pride and success can be dangerous in the AL-QADIMTM campaign, especially for a character who boasts aloud. When Zakharans receive a compliment, they often protest and belittle their skills, lest a jealous genie overhear and bedevil them with the evil eye. The evil eye is the ability to bring misfortune upon another—from an annoyance to a tragedy—with no more than a glance. Nearly all genies are thought to have this power. They need not stand before a character to use it, but can spy upon him or her from afar. In game terms, the evil eye is not magical per se, though magic can sometimes invoke or prevent it. Rather the evil eye is a common, ordinary part of life in a world where genies run rampant and elemental spirits continually seek to cause trouble. The following rule is designed to reflect the danger of being less than humble in an Arabian setting. If player characters are praised and fail to respond with humility and modesty, they must make a Wisdom check. A character who fails has made a genie jealous, and becomes afflicted with the evil eye. Neither Fate nor Fortune can be said to smile upon characters afflicted with the evil eye. They become hapless and unlucky. All saving throws suffer a -2 penalty, as do all proficiency and ability checks. New encounters are indifferent at best, never friendly. Strangers can sense that something is wrong with the “sufferers,” but rather than sympathy, they feel distrust. Local governments view anyone afflicted with the evil eye as shifty; a sufferer’s business may be audited for fraud. Local clergymen view sufferers as potentially dangerous, and may search their belongings or even refuse to offer hospitality. A character afflicted with the evil eye only can be cured by remove curse or quest. The avert evil eye spell can protect a character from this plight (even a pompous braggart), but the spell is of no help after the fact. As noted above, this rule is optional; DMs may decide not to penalize haughty PCs. Even so, player characters may fall prey to this mysterious force in one other way: by being the target of attract evil eye, reverse of the spell avert evil eye. 84

Chapter 6 At the Bazaar This chapter details the useful and interesting equipment available for purchase at most bazaars in Zakhara. Many items that are common in other lands are rarities here, while items that are curiosities elsewhere are often commonplace in the Land of Fate. Each item listed in this chapter has three prices. “A” stands for asking price, where negotiations begin. “N” is the normal price, while “B” is the bargain price. Only merchant-rogues (members of a thief kit) and characters with the haggling proficiency can obtain equipment at bargain rates. As noted in Chapter 4, haggling is optional; if the DM doesn’t allow this proficiency in the campaign, then all characters except merchant-rogues must purchase items at the normal price. Similarly, a DM may decide to prohibit haggling and bargaining in all but a few cases. In this way, for example, a Dungeon Master can decrease the time spent equipping an adventuring party at the start of the campaign. Prices are given in standard AD&D® game currency: copper, silver, and gold. Electrum and platinum pieces are not commonly available in the Land of Fate. If a character has these unusual coins, they’ll yield the exchange rates shown in Chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook. In the Land of Fate, copper pieces are commonly called bits, silver pieces are dirham, and gold pieces are dinars. Items that are indigenous to the Land of Fate (and therefore new to foreigners) are detailed after the price lists. Equipment Lists Clothing Item Aba, common Aba, sumptuous Agal, common Agal, jeweled Anklets, plain Cost A N B 1 gp 7 sp 5 sp 22 gp 15 gp 11 gp 5 sp 4 sp 3 sp 6 0 g p 40 gp 30 gp 15 gp 10 gp 5 gp 85

Cap, fez Cap, skull-cap Cloak, cloth Cloak, fur Cloak, velvet Cloak, wool Chador Dishdashah Dolman Girdle Gauntlets, leather Gauntlets, falconer’s Jellaba Keffiyeh, linen Keffiyeh, silk Knife sheath, common Knife sheath, ornate Jacket, silk Parasol, linen Parasol, silk Pin Robe, Common Robe, Embroidered Sandals Sash Scabbard, any sword Slippers, cloth Slippers, leather Slippers, silk Shirt, linen A 60 gp 5 sp 5 gp 2 gp 15 gp 75 gp 15 sp 45 gp 3 sp 2 sp 1 sp 12 sp 75 gp 100 gp 15 gp 8 sp 12 sp 8 sp 5 gp 2 gp 4 gp 12 gp 3 cp 10 gp 4 cp 20 gp 120 gp 5 sp 6 gp 9 gp 14 sp 30 gp 7 cp 3 sp 6 gp 3 cp 4 gp 15 gp 8 sp Cost N 40 gp 3 sp 3 gp 1 gp 10 gp 50 gp 1 gp 20 gp 2 sp 1 sp 7 cp 8 sp 50 gp 65 gp 10 gp 6 sp 8 sp 6 sp 3 gp 1 gp 3 gp 8 gp 2 cp 7 gp 3 cp 13 gp 80 gp 4 sp 5 gp 6 gp 9 sp 20 gp 5 cp 2 sp 4 gp 2 cp 3 gp 10 gp 6 sp Item Anklets, ornate Belt Boots, riding Boots, soft Brooch, plain Brooch, ornate Caftan, common Caftan, embroidered Cap, felt B 30 gp 2 sp 2 gp 5 sp 8 gp 38 gp 7 sp 15 gp 1 gp 5 cp 6 cp 6 sp 40 gp 38 gp 8 gp 5 sp 6 sp 5 sp 2 gp 5 sp 2 gp 6 gp 1 cp 6 gp 2 cp 9 gp 60 gp 3 sp 3 gp 4 gp 7 sp 15 gp 4 cp 1 sp 3 gp 1 cp 2 gp 5 gp 5 sp Item Shirt, silk Smock Stockings, leather Stockings, silk Trousers Turban wrap Veil, linen Veil, silk Vest Waistcoat, common Waistcoat, ornate A 12 gp 9 sp 3 sp 3 gp 3 gp 2 sp 8 cp 9 gp 9 sp 9 sp 15 gp Cost N 8 gp 6 sp 2 sp 2 gp 2 gp 1 sp 5 cp 6 gp 6 sp 6 sp 10 gp Daily Food and Lodgings Item A Banquet (per person) 15 gp Bread (loaf) 7 cp Candy (per piece) 3 sp Cheese, white 5 sp Cheese, curd 3 sp City rooms, good (per month) 60 gp City room, common (per month) 30 gp City room, poor 8 sp Coffee (cup) 2 cp Eggs (each) 2 cp Feed & stables, horse (daily) 1 gp Feed & stables, camel (daily) 7 sp Feed & stables, exotic beasts (daily) 6 gp Fish, fresh (for one meal)** 3 sp Fish, salted (for one meal) 2 sp Fowl (for one meal) 3 sp Fruits (for one meal) 4 sp Garlic (clove) 2 sp Honey (per quart) 7 sp Inn lodging, good (per day)* 7 gp Inn lodging, common (per day)* 7 sp Inn lodging, poor (per day)* 7 cp Koumiss (1/2 gallon pitcher) 3 sp Meat, fresh (for one meal) 5 sp Meat, salted (for one meal) 3 sp Meals, good (per day) 7 sp Meals, common (per day) 4 sp Meals, poor (per day) 2 sp Milk, camels (1/2 gallon pitcher) 1 sp Milk, goat’s (1/2 gallon pitcher) 1 gp Sherbet 2 cp soup 7 cp Vegetable (for one meal) 5 sp Wine, Heart of Wine Cost N 10 gp 5 cp 2 sp 4 sp 2 sp 40 gp 20 gp 6 sp 1 cp 1 cp 5 sp 4 sp 4 gp 2 sp 1 sp 2 sp 3 sp 1 sp 5 sp 5 gp 5 sp 5 cp 2 sp 3 sp 2 sp 5 sp 3 sp 1 sp 7 cp 7 sp 1 cp 5 cp 4 sp (1/2 gallon pitcher) 2 gp 1 gp Wine, good (1/2 gallon pitcher) 6 sp 4 sp Wine, common (1/2 gallon pitcher) 3 sp 2 sp B 6 gp 4 sp 15 cp 15 sp 15 sp 5 cp 2 cp 4 gp 4 sp 4 sp 8 gp B 7 gp 3 cp 9 cp 3 sp 1 sp 30 gp 15 gp 3 sp 1 cp 1 cp 3 sp 2 sp 3 gp 1 sp 7 cp 1 sp 2 sp 1 sp 3 sp 4 gp 4 sp 4 cp 1 sp 2 sp 1 sp 4 sp 2 sp 5 cp 5 cp 5 sp 1 cp 4 cp 2 sp 8 sp 3 sp 1 sp 86

* For stays over one week, rates drop one level: use the normal price instead of the asking price, and bargain instead of normal. During High Holy Days or other festivals, increased demand raises the cost of rooms and lodging: normal becomes asking, bargain becomes normal. ** Available only in sea ports. Household Provisions and Bulk Goods Item Butter (per lb.) Charcoal (per day) Coconuts (per dozen) Coarse sugar (per lb.) Dates (per lb.) Dishes, china Dishes, crockery Dry/rations (per week) Eggs (per hundred) Eggs (per dozen) Fabric, linen cloth (per 20-yd. bolt) Fabric, ornate brocade (per 10-yd. bolt) Fabric, wool (per 20-yd. bolt) Fabric, velvet (per 10-yd. bolt) Figs (per lb.) Firewood (per day) Glasses, drinking (per set of four) Herbs (per lb.) Nuts (per lb.) Pelts, common( per 100) Pelts, rare (per 10) Olives (per lb.) Raisins (per lb.) Rice (per lb.) Salt (per lb.) Salted fish (per 100) Silk, raw (per 10-yd. bolt) Spices, any (per lb.) Tanned skins (per 100) Wine, common (250 gal. tun) Wine, good (250 gal. tun) Animals Item Boar Cattle, bull Cattle, calf Cattle, cow Cattle, plow ox Camel, breeding Camel, desert Camel, mountain A 3 sp 1 sp 6 sp 2 gp 3 sp 15 sp 2 sp 15 gp 10 sp 1 sp 2 gp Cost N 2 sp 7 cp 4 sp 1 gp 2 sp 1 gp 1 sp 10 gp 8 sp 7 cp 1 gp B 1 sp 4 cp 3 sp 7 sp 1 sp 7 sp 7 cp 7 gp 6 sp 6 cp 7 sp 36 gp 25 gp 17 gp 20 gp 10 gp 8 gp 60 gp 40 gp 30 gp 3 sp 2 sp 1 sp 1 sp 8 cp 5 cp 1 gp 7 sp 5 sp 7 cp 5 cp 4 cp 15 sp 1 gp 8 sp 60 gp 40 gp 30 gp 30 gp 20 gp 15 gp 1 gp 8 sp 5 sp 3 sp 2 sp 1 sp 2 sp 1 sp 5 cp 2 sp 1 sp 5 cp 2 gp 1 gp 7 sp 80 gp 60 gp 45 gp 2 gp 1 gp 7 sp 2 gp 1 gp 7 sp 15 gp 10 gp 7 gp 30 gp 20 gp 13 gp A 15 gp 30 gp 8 gp 15 gp 20 gp 70 gp 75 gp 90 gp Cost N 10 gp 20 gp 5 gp 10 gp 15 gp 45 gp 50 gp 60 gp B 7 gp 15 gp 4 gp 8 gp 11 gp 30 gp 40 gp 45 gp Item Camel, war Cat, domestic Cat, hunting (panther) Chicken Dog, guard Dog, house Dog, hunting Dog, war Donkey, ass, or mule Elephant, labor Elephant, war Falcon (trained) Goat Goose Guinea hen Horse, light war Horse, medium war Horse, pony Horse, riding Monkey, small Monkey, trained Ostrich Partridge Peacock Pig Pigeon, ornamental (or eating) Pigeon, homing Pigeon, land-seeking Ram Sheep Songbird Songbird, trained Stork Swan Water buffalo Cost A N B 150 g p 100 g p 80 gp 2 sp 1 sp 5 cp 7,500 g p 5,000 g p 4,000 gp 4 cp 40 gp 5 sp 28 gp 30 gp 12 gp 225 gp 600 gp 1,200 gp 2 gp 8 cp 3 cp 225 gp 340 gp 45 gp 110 gp 12 gp 120 gp 45 gp 1 sp I gp 5 gp 2 cp 150 gp 90 gp 6 gp 3 gp 2 gp 20 gp 1 gp 7 sp 15 gp 2 cp 25 gp 3 sp 17 gp 20 gp 8 gp 150 gp 400 gp 800 gp 1 gp 5 cp 2 cp 150 gp 225 gp 30 gp 75 gp 8 gp 80 gp 30 gp 5 cp 5 sp 3 gp 1 cp 100 gp 60 gp 4 gp 2 gp 1 gp 10 gp 7 sp 5 sp 10 gp Tack and Harness Item A Bit and bridle 21 sp Camel barding, half padded 120 gp Camel barding, full padded 225 gp Camel pack saddle (kharj) 2 gp Camel litter, common 12 gp Cost N 15 sp B 12 sp 80 gp 60 gp 150 gp 1 gp 8 gp 110 gp Camel litter, ornate Cart harness Halter Elephant barding, full, lamellar 5 sp 6 gp 120 gp 80 gp 60 gp 3 gp 2 gp 15 sp 7 cp 5 cp 4 cp 4,500 g p 3,000 gp 2,400 g p 2 cp 20 gp 1 sp 13 gp 15 gp 6 gp 110 gp 300 gp 600 gp 7 sp 4 cp 1 cp 112 gp 175 gp 23 gp 55 gp 6 gp 60 gp 22 gp 3 cp 3 sp 2 gp 1 cp 75 gp 45 gp 3 gp 1 gp 7 sp 7 gp 5 sp 4 sp 8 gp Wt. (lbs.) 3 30 70 15 35 50-70 1 0 * 210 87

Wt. Item Wt. (lbs.) Cost Elephant barding, half, lamellar Elephant barding, full, padded Elephant barding, half, padded Elephant barding, full, wicker Elephant barding, half, wicker Horse barding, full, wicker Horse barding, half, wicker Horse barding, full, chain Horse barding, full, lamellar Horse barding, half, lamellar Horse barding, full, padded Horse barding, half, padded Cost A N B 2,250 g p 1,500 gp 1,150 g p 675 g p 450 g p 345 g p 450 g p 300 g p 225 g p 600 g p 400 g p 300 g p 300 g p 200 g p 150 g p 210 gp 140 gp 110 gp 180 g p 120 g p 90 gp 3,000 gp 2,000 gp 1,500 gp 1,500 gp 1,000 gp 800 gp 750 gp 500 gp 375 gp 225 g p 150 gp 115 g p 150 gp 100 gp 75 gp Horseshoes and shoeing 2 gp 1 gp 7 sp Horse pack saddle 7 gp 5 gp 3 gp 100 180 7 5 150 7 5 5 0 2 0 7 0 70 30 60 25 10 15 Item Horse riding saddle Howdah, common Howdah, ornate Saddle bags, large Saddle bags, small Saddle blanket Yoke, ox or buffalo A N B (lbs.) 15 gp 10 gp 7 gp 35 45 gp 30 gp 21 gp 7 5 450 gp 300 gp 210 gp 95 6 gp 4 gp 3 gp 8 4 gp 3 gp 2 gp 5 4 sp 3 sp 2 sp 4 4 gp 3 gp 2 gp 2 0 * These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh a pound. Transport Item Barijah Barge Canoe, reed Canoe, outrigger Caravel Cart, pony or mule Chariot, riding Coaster Cog Curragh Dromond Galleon Cost ANB 7500 gp 5000 gp 3750 gp 750 g p 500 gp 375 g p 45 g p 30 gp 2 5 g p 90 g p 60 gp 45 g p 20,000 g p 15,000 gp 10,000 g p 300 g p 200 gp 150 gp 10,000 g p 7500 g p 5000 gp 15,000 g p 10,000 g p 7500 gp 750 gp 500 g p 375 gp 30,000 g p 20,000 g p 15,000 gp 100,000 gp 60,000 g p 50,000 gp 8 8

Item Great galley Launch, large (qarib) Launch, small (dunij) Litter, common Litter, great Oar, common Oar, galley Raft Sail Sambuk Sedan chair Wagon, ox Wheel for wagon or cart Zaruq Cost A N B 60,000 gp 40,000 gp 30,000 gp 75 gp 50 gp 38 gp 40 gp 30 gp 22 gp 120 gp 80 gp 60 g p 200 gp 160 gp 120 gp 3 gp 2 gp 1 g p 15 gp 10 gp 7 gp 150 gp 100 gp 75 gp 30 gp 20 gp 15 gp 15,000 gp 10,000 gp 7500 gp 150 gp 100 gp 7 5 g p 90 gp 60 gp 45 gp 8 gp 5 gp 3 gp 5,000 gp 3,500 gp 2,000 gp Item Miscellaneous Equipment Item A Backpack 3 gp Barrel, small (30 gal.) 3 gp Barrel, large (50 gal.) 6 gp Barrel, hogshead (140 gal.) 12 gp Basket, large 4 sp Basket, small 7 cp Bell 2 gp Belt pouch, large 2 gp Belt pouch, small 1 gp Block and tackle 7 gp Bolt case 2 gp Book, log book 9 gp Book, math tables 10 gp Book, religious parables 10 gp Bucket 7 sp Carpet, 3 ft. by 5 ft. 3 gp Carpet, 4 ft. by 6 ft. 6 gp Carpet, 5 ft. by 7 ft. 12 gp Carpet, 6 ft. by 9 ft. 24 gp Chain, light (per ft.) 4 gp Chain, heavy (per ft.) 6 gp Chest, large 3 gp Chest, small 2 gp Candle 2 cp Canvas (per square yd.) 6 sp Chalk 2 cp Drum 30 gp Fishhooks 2 sp Flint and steel 7 sp Glass bottle 15 gp Grappling hook 1 gp Holy item 25 gp Hourglass 35 gp Iron port 7 sp Cost N 2 gp 2 gp 4 gp 8 gp 3 sp 5 cp 1 gp 1 gp 7 sp 5 gp 1 g p 6 gp 7 gp 7 gp 5 sp 2 gp 4 gp 8 gp 16 gp 3 g p 4 gp 2 gp 1 gp 1 cp 4 sp 1 cp 20 gp 1 sp 5 sp 10 gp 8 sp 25 g p 25 g p 5 sp B 15 sp 15 sp 3 gp 6 gp 2 sp 4 cp 7 sp 7 sp 5 sp 4 gp 7 sp 5 gp 5 gp 5 gp 4 sp 15 sp 3 gp 6 gp 12 gp 2 gp 3 gp 1 gp 7 sp 1 cp 3 sp 1 cp 15 gp 7 cp 4 sp 7 gp 6 sp 25 gp 20 gp 3 sp Wt. (lbs.) 2 30 5 0 140 1 * * 1 1/2 5 1 1 1 1 3 4 8 1 6 3 2 1 3 25 1 0 * 1 * 4 ** * * 4 * 1 2 A Kohl (per tin) 5 cp Ladder, 10 ft. 5 cp Lantern, beacon 225 gp Lantern, hooded 10 gp Lock, wretched 30 gp Lock, poor 30 gp Lock, good 150 gp Lock, excellent 300 gp Lock, superior 600 gp Lock, masterful 1200 gp Magnifying glass 75 gp Map or scroll case 12 sp Merchant’s scale 3 gp Mirror, small metal 15 gp Mirror, small silvered 30 gp Oil, lamp (per flask) 8 cp Oil, Greek fire (per flask) 15 gp Paper (per sheet) 3 sp Papyrus (per sheet) 2 sp Parchment (per sheet) 1 gp Perfume (per vial) 7 gp Pillow (seating) 3 sp Pipes, musical 7 gp Quiver 12 sp Rope, hemp (per 50 ft.) 2 gp Rope, silk (per 50 ft.) 15 gp Rosewater (per vial) 6 sp Sack, large 3 sp Sack, small 7 cp Samovar 300 gp Sealing wax (per lb.) 15 sp Sewing needle 7 sp Signal whistle 12 sp Signet ring 8 gp Soap (per lb.) 8 sp Spyglass 750 gp Tent, large 35 gp Tent, pavilion 150 gp Tent, small 7 gp Thieves’ picks 45 gp Torch 2 cp Waterskin (1 gal.) 12 sp Water clock 600 gp Water pipe 300 gp Whetstone 2 cp Writing ink (per vial) 12 sp Zither 150 gp Cost N 3 cp 3 cp 150 gp 7 gp 20 gp 20 gp 100 gp 200 gp 400 gp 800 gp 50 gp 8 sp 2 gp 10 gp 20 gp 6 cp 10 gp 2 sp 1 sp 7 sp 5 gp 2 sp 5 gp 8 sp 1 gp 10 gp 4 sp 2 sp 5 cp 200 gp 1 gp 5 sp 8 sp 5 gp 5 sp 500 gp 25 gp 100 gp 5 gp 30 gp 1 cp 8 sp 400 gp 200 gp 1 cp 8 sp 100 gp B 2 cp 2 cp 110 gp 5 gp 15 gp 15 gp 75 gp 150 gp 300 gp 600 gp 40 gp 6 sp 1 gp 7 gp 15 gp 4 cp 7 gp 1 sp 7 cp 5 sp 4 gp 1 sp 3 gp 6 sp 7 sp 7 gp 3 sp 1 sp 4 cp 100 gp 7 sp 4 sp 6 sp 4 gp 4 sp 400 gp 20 gp 75 gp 4 gp 22 gp 1 cp 6 sp 300 gp 100 gp 1 cp 6 sp 75 gp Wt. (lbs.) * 2 50 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 * 1/2 1 * * 1 1 ** * * ** * 1 1 1 2 0 8 1/2* 5 0 * ** * * * 1 2 0 5 0 1 0 1 1 1 200 30 1 * 3 * These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh one point. ** These items have no appreciable weight and should not be considered for encumbrance unless hundreds of them are carried. 8 9

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Weapons Item The list below shows familiar weapons that are commonly available in Zakhara. Chapter 6 of the Player’s Handbook includes these items as well as many others, detailing speed, weight, and damage. If a weapon appears in the Player’s Handbook but not here, it’s considered “exotic.” Assuming a buyer can find it in the Land of Fate, it costs 10 times the usual amount. Weapons designated “new” are indigenous to Zakhara. While these weapons might seem strange to foreigners, they’re common in the Land of Fate. Item Battle-axe Blowgun - barbed dart Bow, composite long Bow, composite short Bow, long Bow, short - flight arrows (per 12) Club* Crossbow, heavy - quarrel Crossbow, light - quarrel Dagger Dirk Dart Flail, footman’s Flail, horseman’s Hand or throwing axe Javelin Knife Lance, light horse Lance, medium horse A 7 gp 7 gp 2 sp 150 gp 105 gp 105 gp 45 gp 4 sp - 75 gp 3 sp 50 gp 2 sp Cost N 5 gp 5 gp 1 sp 100 gp 75 gp 75 gp 30 gp 3 sp - 50 gp 2 sp 35 gp 1 sp B 4 gp 4 gp 7 cp 75 gp 60 gp 60 gp 22 gp 2 sp - 40 gp 1 sp 25 gp 7 cp 3 gp 2 gp 1 gp 3 gp 2 gp 1 g p 7 sp 5 sp 4 s p 21 gp 15 gp 12 gp 12 gp 10 gp 7 gp 2 g p 1 gp 7 s p 7 sp 5 sp 4 sp 7 sp 5 sp 4 s p 9 gp 6 gp 5 gp 15 gp 10 gp 8 gp Mace, footman’s Mace, horseman’s Morning star Pick, footman’s Pick, horseman’s Polearm, awl pike Polearm, glaive Polearm, halberd Quarterstaff* Scourge Sickle Sling - bullet - stone Spear Staff sling Sword, bastard Sword, khopesh Sword, long Sword, scimitar Sword, short Sword, two-handed Warhammer Whip A 12 gp 7 gp 15 gp 12 sp 10 gp 7 gp 9 gp 15 gp - Cost N B 8 gp 6 gp 5 gp 4 gp 10 gp 8 gp 8 s p 6 s p 7 gp 5 gp 5 gp 4 gp 6 gp 5 gp 10 gp 8 gp - - 2 gp 9 sp 7 cp 2 cp - 12 sp 3 sp 37 gp 15 gp 21 gp 20 g p 1 5 g p 7 5 g p 3 gp 2 s p 1 gp 7 sp 6 s p 4 sp 5 cp 4 cp 1 cp 1 cp - - 8 sp 6 sp 2 sp 1 s p 25 gp 20 gp 10 gp 8 gp 15 gp 12 gp 15 gp 10 gp 10 gp 8 gp 50 gp 40 gp 2 gp 1 gp 1 sp 7 cp * A basic club or quarterstaff costs nothing; one need only find a suitable piece of wood. Artistic renditions—carved, gem-encrusted, painted—vary widely in price. Armor Item Banded Brigandine Chain mail Cost Wt. A N B (lb.) 300 g p 200 g p 150 gp 35 180 gp 120 g p 9 5 g p 35 115 g p 7 5 60 gp 45 New Zakharan Weapons Item Cost A N B Elephant goad (ankus) 4 gp 3 gp 2 gp Jambiya 6 gp 4 gp 3 gp Katar (punch dagger) 4 gp 3 gp 2 gp Razor 5 sp 4 sp 3 s p Scythe 15 gp 10 gp 8 gp Sword, cutlass 18 gp 12 gp 9 gp Sword, great scimitar 90 gp 60 gp 40 gp Tiger claws (bagh nakh) 6 sp 4 sp 3 sp Tufenk 21 gp 14 gp 10 gp 6 3 2 2 8 5 9 2 9 *See weapon description Weight (lbs.) 4 1 1 1 15 4 16 1 5 Size Type Speed M P/B S P/S S P S S L S M S L S S P L * Damage S-M L 1d4 1d4 1d4 1d4 1d3 + 1 1d3 1d2 1d2 1d10 + 2 2d6 1d6 1d8 2d8 4d4 1d2 1d2 * 9 1

Item A Helmet 45 gp Hide 22 gp Lamellar 150 gp Leather 7 gp Padded 6 gp Ring 150 gp Scale 180 gp Shield, body 15 gp Shield, daraq or buckler 2 gp Cost Wt. N 30 gp 15 gp 100 gp 5 gp 4 gp 100 gp 120 gp 10 gp 1 gp 7 gp 3 gp 80 gp 20 gp B 22 gp 12 gp 75 gp 4 gp 3 gp 75 gp 95 gp 7 gp 7 sp 6 gp 2 gp 60 gp 15 gp (lb.) 5 30 30 1 5 1 0 30 40 15 2 1 0 5 40 25 9 gp 4 gp 120 gp 30 gp Shield, medium Shield, small Splint Studded Leather Services Item Bath Barber, healing Barber, shave Barber, wash Bearer (per mile) Clerk (per letter) Cook (per day) Crier (per day and announcement) Dancing girl/boy (per performance) Guide, city (per day) Guide, wilderness (per day) Lantern or torchbearer (per night) Laundry (by load) Litter bearer (per day) Messenger, in city (per message) Minstrel (per performance) Mourner (per funeral) Cost A N B 4 cp 3 cp 2 cp 3 gp 2 gp 1 gp 3 sp 2 sp 1 s p 3 cp 2 cp 1 cp 7 cp 5 cp 4 cp 3 sp 2 s p 1 s p 1 gp 7 sp 5 sp 5 sp 4 s p 2 s p 4 gp 3 gp 1 gp 3 sp 2 s p 1 s p 5 gp 3 gp 2 gp 3 sp 2 sp 1 sp 3 cp 2 cp 1 cp 1 gp 7 sp 5 sp 2 sp 1 sp 7 cp 5 gp 3 gp 3 sp 2 sp 1 sp Slaves* Item Bearer Courtesan (male or female) Entertainer Eunuch House servant Laborer Specialist ** Warrior/ guard Cost A N B 30 gp 20 gp 15 gp 90 gp 60 g p 45 g p 90 gp 60 gp 45 gp 60 gp 40 gp 30 gp 60 gp 40 g p 30 g p 30 gp 20 gp 15 gp 900 gp 600 g p 300 g p 90 gp 60 gp 45 gp * Where permitted by local authorities. Check with regional government before purchase. ** Comprises individuals with marketable skills, including proficiencies such as sailing, weaving, or tailoring. “Adventurertypes” may be sold at this price per level of ability, but are often marked down and sold as other types of slaves because of their tendency to escape and/or lead rebellions. Equipment Descriptions This section describes some of the more unusual items available for purchase in Zakhara. Items commonly found elsewhere and those described in the Player’s Handbook have been excluded. Clothing Aba: The traditional desert robe, simple and flowing in design. Most abas (pronounced AH-bahs) are monochromatic—black, brown, and white being favorite colors. The amount and type of embroidery on the edges reflects the relative luxury of the garment; the best abas are trimmed with threads of gold. Some abas may be made of dyed fabric and bright colors, especially those designed for festival days and special occasions. The aba is closed at the waist with a sash and has full, open sleeves. It is traditionally worn with a keffiyeh (headcloth) and an akal. Agal: A cord or group of cords designed to hold a keffiyeh (headcloth) snugly to the head. Basic versions are simply hemp cords, but more ornate agals (ahGAHLZ) are made of silk, and some are trimmed with semi-precious stones and dusted with gold. Anklet: A bracelet worn loosely above the feet, usually made of silver. Anklets are a common form of feminine vanity in Zakhara. More ornate versions are made of gold and set with small bells. Even in heavily moralist areas, the jingle of anklets can be heard, signaling the approach of a fashionable woman whose only visible part may be her feet. Clerics of the Faith Moral have a dim view of such vanities, but no church dictum prohibits it. Caftan: A flowing ankle-length overgarment, cinched at the waist with a sash. Most caftans are made of cotton, but richer versions are made of silk or brocade, and stitched with rich embroidery. Chador: A full-body robe for women, complete with a hood and face-covering that may conceal even the wearer’s eyes. (Small holes allow the woman to look out but prevent any from seeing in.) Women in regions controlled by the moralists commonly wear this garb in public. The chador (SHAH-dor) of an unmarried woman is white, while that of a married 92

woman is black, and the chador of a widow is red. Dishdashah: A simple tunic, usually worn by farmers and poor merchants. Length varies between the knees and ankles, and the dishdasha (dish-DAHshah) is held closed by a belt, rope, or sash. Dolman: A loose, floor-length robe with sleeves, similar to the aba but preferred in more urban areas as a common form of dress. Fez: A round felt hat for men that looks like a short cone with a flat top. A tassel roughly as high as the hat hangs from the crown. Most fezes stand about 6 inches high and are red with a black tassel. Jellaba: A heavy “winter aba,” worn over the traditional aba, and usually made of wool or felt. The jellaba (jell-AH-bah) runs to the ground and is typically less decorative than the aba worn underneath. Keffiyeh: The traditional headcloth worn by most men and women of Zakhara. Length and style varies from tribe to tribe and from city to city, and sometimes from family to family. The keffiyeh (keh-FEE-yeh) is held in place by the akal. Turban wrap: A long strip of fabric wrapped around the head to produce the turban common in many cities in the Land of Fate. If wrapped around a skull cap, the turban is a flattened sphere. If wrapped around a fez or other support, the turban is taller, rounder, and more impressive. The turban wrap is often held in place by a pin or broach, particular if the wearer is of high stature. Daily Food and Lodgings Koumiss: A drink of fermented mare’s milk, koumiss (KOO-miss) is very potent. It is forbidden in regions under moralist control. Meals: These vary according to price and type, with more expensive meals emphasizing variety and freshness. A good evening meal may consist of rice heaped high with fresh mutton, figs, dates, and olives pulled from the tree, finished with honey-candies. A more common evening meal (in a town or city) would be a simple ragout or meat stew, with bread, and fruit. A poor evening meal consists of just rice, perhaps with dates, dried fruit, a bit of tripe, or a strip of dried meat. Sherbet: A sweet fruit drink in Zakhara. It is often sold by vendors roaming the streets of major cities, carrying chilled tanks of sherbet on their back, along with cups to share. Wine, Heart of Wine: A potent brew. Heart of Wine is a wine that has been aged in the desert heat or in mountain snows until the water has evaporated or frozen, leaving a more powerful substance behind. Like all alcoholic or fermented beverages, Heart of Wine is forbidden in moralist areas. Animals Camels: These cantankerous beasts are subject to the same quality variables as horses, as listed under “Quality of Equipment” in Chapter 6 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. (Owners gain the same benefits for camels of high quality, and suffer the same penalties for those of poor quality.) A white camel is considered a sign of good fortune, and as such may fetch 2 to 5 times its listed price. 93

Desert camels and mountain camels share the same game statistics as noted in the Monstrous Compendium. However, mountain camels have smaller feet, and while they are more sure-footed in hilly terrain, they are not very useful in the desert. No type of camel is suitable for riding into combat unless it has been trained as a war camel. (Even then, it is a stubborn, uncomfortable mount.) Further, a camel that is designated for breeding is not usually used as a beast of burden. Horses: The larger and heavier breeds of horse found in less civilized lands are not suited to Zakhara. Their size causes them to overheat quickly, and most do not survive. As a result, the “mounted knight” from foreign lands is doubly damned, both for his own heavy armor and his straining mount are a hindrance in the Land of Fate. The lighter and more nimble breeds of horse are common as Zakharan mounts, and only rarely do they serve as pack animals (they are too valuable for such work). In the most savage and parched deserts of Zakhara, horses are impractical. Monkeys: A small monkey is a common urban pet, and is very entertaining and inquisitive. Monkeys can be trained to perform simple tasks. They have been known to carry off small valuables, and Zakharan law declares that a master is responsible for the actions of his or her pet. Pigeons: The common pigeon or dove is kept in gardens for decorations. The homing pigeon has been trained to return to a particular location when released. The land-seeking pigeon has been trained to head for the nearest land, and is used by mariners at sea. Once released, this pigeon will fly up, then use its uncanny sense of geography to head for the nearest island or continent within 150 miles. If no such land exists, then the bird will return to the ship. Once the pigeon reaches land, it is never seen again by its original owners. Songbirds: Songbirds of a wide variety of plumage and voice abound in the jungles and along the shores of the Land of Fate. They are also valued additions to urban gardens. A songbird may be trained to a particular song at greater cost. Storks: The stork is a symbol of good fortune to the city peoples, who admire the bird’s fidelity, apparent honesty, and willingness to let lesser birds nest beside it for protection. Storks purchased in a bazaar are raised for sale, and never slain. Transport Barijah: This small, 40-foot dhow (a general term for boat) is commonly sailed along the coasts, where it serves fishermen, pearl divers, merchants, and the shore-dwelling pirates who raid them. The ship is a small coaster made of sewn (not nailed) lumber. It lacks a stemcastle. It is lateen-rigged (having a triangular sail), with a tapered prow, and a tapered or square stem. The rudder may be mounted on the side or stem. The ship carries a crew of 10 men, but it can comfortably bear four times that amount, or 40 tons of cargo. The barijah has a base movement rate of 3, an emergency rate of 6, and a seaworthiness of 40 percent when traveling in sight of land. In open water, seaworthiness drops to 30 percent. (See “Ocean Voyaging” in Chapter 14 of the DMG). Canoe, reed: A common and easily built boat along wide rivers and swamps, this canoe is created from long packets of reeds bound with hemp, and can carry four people within its small quarters. It is a ship of antiquity, and is not used for long distance travel. The reed canoe can move 200 feet per round, or 2 mph, and can carry 500 pounds of cargo. Canoe, outrigger: The outrigger is a large, seagoing canoe supported by a great pontoon or 94

catamaran. Up to 50 feet long, the vessel can carry up to 20 warriors and hold up to 2,000 pounds of cargo along its length. It moves up to 180 feet per round, or 2 mph. On the high seas, some outriggers use sails to triple their movement rates. Chariot: Another type of transport dating back to the earliest days of civilization, the chariot died out in Zakhara with the introduction of the saddle and stirrup. It is still used on occasion, though mostly in showy processions and in cities. Often is it pulled by camels or elephants rather than horses. Launches: These small boats are carried by larger vessels as lifeboats or (as is more typical) shore boats. The smaller ship is the dunij; it can hold four passengers, move 60 feet per round, or 1 mph, and can carry 500 pounds. The larger boat is the qarib; it can hold up to 15 passengers or 2,000 pounds of cargo, with the same movement rates as the dunij. Some qaribs may be fitted with a lateen sail as well, and may move three times as fast. Litters: These conveyances for the wealthy are essentially large, flat couches with awnings, carried by servants or slaves. The common litter allows one individual to recline comfortably while being borne by four others. The great litter may carry up to four passengers, and is carried by 16 servants or slaves, four to each corner. Sambuk: Aside from the barijah, the sambuk is the most common ship in the Land of Fate. It has a keel length of 75 feet and a beam (width) of 20 feet. The crew comprises 15 to 20 sailors. In addition, the sambuk can carry up to 80 passengers or 90 tons of cargo. The sambuk has no stemcastle, only a raised platform. The ship is navigated with a stem-mounted rudder and lateen (triangular) sails. It is marginally more reliable than the barijah, having a 40 percent seaworthiness in all waters. The sambuk’s base movement rate is 3, and its emergency rate is 5. Zaruq: The zarug (zah-ROOK) is a small ship, though it’s slightly larger than the barijah. Rather than having a square stern, the zaruq comes to a point at both ends. On average, the ship measures 50 to 60 feet in length. It carries a crew of 15 to 20 men, and can also carry up to 60 tons of cargo. The ship’s base movement rate is 5, its emergency rate is 7, and its seaworthiness is an admirable 50 percent when sailing in sight of the shoreline. Given these qualities, the zaruq is a favored ship for small merchants and coastal pirates. In open water, however, the zaruq’s seaworthiness drops precipitously to 30 percent. Zakhara Weapons Elephant goad: Also called an ankus, this tool is primarily designed to help control and direct the movement of elephants. It may also be used as a weapon. There are two goads, each with similar qualities: a “riding” ankus with a 14- to 18-inch handle, and a “foot” ankus with a 5-foot handle. Jambiya: This curved, double-edged dagger is the common tool used by peoples of the desert. In addition to a fighting weapon, it serves as an all-purpose cutting blade and an eating utensil that’s both knife and fork. Unlike the standard western dagger, the jambiya (JAHM-bee-yah) is a poor throwing weapon; its maximum range is 1. Katar: Also called the punch dagger, the katar is a short, easily-concealed weapon. It differs from other daggers in that its handle is perpendicular to the blade, not in line, allowing more force to be applied. The katar cannot serve as a thrown weapon. Razor: A barber’s tool, the razor is not usually intended as a weapon for combat. However, since barbers often find their lives taking an odd turn, they may be required to defend themselves with this “tool of the trade.” Scythe: Like any normal scythe, this one consists of a long wooden handle topped with a curved blade, 95

which is often used to cut hay. In this case, the blade can be locked into two positions: 1) perpendicular to the handle (as is common), and 2) extending straight out from the end, parallel to the handle. Changing the blade’s position requires a full round. In position one, the scythe can be swung effectively by a character on horseback, provided the rider can guide the mount without reins. The scythe is a two-handed weapon. In position two, the blade can be set to receive a charge. Sword, cutlass: This sword has a long, slightlycurved blade and a basket-handle. It is the weapon of choice for the corsair and the occasional swashbuckling merchant-rogue. In addition to the damage listed, the cutlass can also give the wielder 96 a +1 benefit while parrying (if that optional rule is used), and can increase punching damage to 1d3. Sword, great scimitar: This weapon has a huge, curved blade. It is most commonly wielded by the local ruler’s executioner, which is why it is also dubbed the “headsman’s sword.” Deadly but cumbersome, a headsman’s sword is the best weapon to use against an opponent who is going nowhere. Tiger’s claws: Also called bagh nakh, this weapon is like a set of brass knuckles with spikes. A series of rings with spikes fit over the bearer’s fingers (thumb excluded). When the wearer makes a fist, a spike sticks outward from each knuckle. The weapon is easily concealed. It is used primarily by slayers, who tip the spikes with poison. Tufenk: Little more than a long blowpipe, the tufenk is used to project Greek fire across a short distance. (To Zakharans, Greek fire is “oil of liquid stars” or simply “liquid star.”) The weapon’s maximum range is 10 feet. The tufenk requires two hands to use, and is usually rested upon a steady surface as well. It takes one round to light a vial of Greek fire; in round two the fire is projected toward a single target. It inflicts 2d6 points of damage in round two, and 1d6 in rounds three and four. The tufenk’s rate of fire is one attack every three rounds. It is an unwieldy weapon, as well as being potentially dangerous to the individual carrying the oil. When it’s used as a melee weapon, the tufenk’s game statistics match those of a quarterstaff. Armor Lamellar: Lamellar is a type of scale mail made of overlapping metal plates (lamellas), connected by metal links. Lighter and less costly than standard scale, lamellar is the most popular of the heavier armors available in Zakhara. It is worn in relatively cool areas, Shield, daraq: Similar to the western buckler, this small shield is carried primarily by horsemen. The daraq can be used to fend off one specific opponent per round. Although most daraqs are made of laminated hide and tortoise shell, metal versions can also be found in urban areas.

Chapter 7 Sha’ir Abilities Sha’irs are male and female wizards whose magic is tied to the genies. (Their kit is described in Chapter 3.) These wizards do not learn or cast spells in the usual fashion. In fact, they have no spellbooks at all. Instead, they boast a number of spell-like abilities that increase in power as they increase in experience level. This chapter describes those abilities. Summary of Powers With experience comes power: l At 1st level, a sha’ir can summon a small elemental familiar, which will provide spells, including magics that other 1st-level wizards cannot cast. l At 3rd level, a sha’ir gains the ability to recognize the works of geniekind, including their magics and the items they’ve created. l At 5th level, a sha’ir can call upon the jann for aid. l At 7th level, a sha’ir gains additional protection against elemental attacks. l At 9th level, a sha’ir can call upon one of the more powerful genies for aid. l At 11th level, a sha’ir can bind one of the true genies (dao, marid, djinn, or efreet) as a personal servant. l At 13th level, a sha’ir can create a prison to entrap a genie. l At 15th level, a sha’ir can enter the elemental planes at will. l At 17th level, a sha’ir can receive an audience with a great ruler of the genies. Each of these powers is described below. Summoning a Familiar This power allows a sha’ir to summon a small elemental familiar, called a gen, which becomes a permanent and willing servant. The sha’ir is allowed to choose which type of gen appears (air, fire, water, or earth). 97

Whatever its origin, the gen happily becomes an agent for its master in all the elemental planes, seeking out and retrieving magic that its master would otherwise be unable to cast. The act of summoning and binding a gen lasts 1d20 hours. If a sha’ir spends the required time fasting and communing with the “nature” of the elemental planes—while uninterrupted—then no proficiency check is required. Success is automatic. Gens can tap into a network of other geniekind, conferring with creatures of any element. This allows gens to retrieve spells for their masters. A sha’ir simply states the spell which he or she desires, and the loyal gen rushes off to the appropriate elemental plane to find it (locating even spells in the universal province). Sha’irs can only request spells which they know exist. All 1st- and 2nd-level wizard spells shown in Appendix A are considered common knowledge; any sha’ir can request them. Otherwise, sha’irs must have actually seen a spell. If a sha’ir sees an ajami casting a strange spell (or sees its effects), then that spell can be requested, too. Priest spells are also available. Spelllike abilities of other creatures and characters cannot be gained in this fashion, however. Gens require time and effort to find spells for their masters. The higher the spell’s level, the longer a gen must search, and the greater the chance that its efforts will be for naught. In fact, for more powerful spells, the gen may not return at all—or perhaps worse, may return with a powerful personage in tow, who is very curious to see who is seeking such magic. Requesting a Spell When requesting a spell from his or her gen, a sha’ir must specify which spell it is, and whether it’s a wizard or priest spell. The gen immediately sets out to find it on the outer planes. The length of time that a gen searches for a spell depends on the type of magic sought: l If a sha’ir requests a spell that a native wizard of the same experience level could normally cast, then the gen searches for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the spell. (All “native” spells are listed in Appendix A. Anything not on that list is considered foreign to the Land of Fate.) l If a native wizard of the same experience level could not normally cast the desired spell, then the gen searches for 1d6 turns + 1 turn per level of the spell. l If the spell is not native to the Land of Fate—or is a priest spell—the gen searches for 1d6 hours plus 1 hour per level of the spell. Even if the gen doesn’t find the spell (or has no chance of doing so), it expends the full amount of time searching. Once the request for a spell is made, the gen cannot be recalled until its search is done. To determine whether a gen’s search is successful, the DM makes a percentage roll. A roll of 90 or more always indicates failure. Otherwise, all gens have a 50 percent base chance of finding a spell. The following modifiers apply: l Each level of sha’ir: +5 percent l Each level of spell being sought: -10 percent l Spell is “general knowledge” (by the definition above): +10 percent l Spell is priestly magic, or does not appear in Appendix A: -30 percent l Gen repeats search for spell on same day after initial failure: -10 percent per attempt If the modified chance is 0 or less, the gen always returns “empty-handed.” A gen’s failure to gather a spell never harms its master (beyond disappointment). The gen simply returns after the usual period of search, extremely apologetic for its failure. If the sha’ir requests the same spell again, the gen immediately repeats the search. As noted above, however, its chance of success drops an additional 10 percent for each attempt within a given 24-hour period. (The penalty applies only if the gen is seeking the same spell again.) If the elemental spirit succeeds, it returns at the end of its search, appearing within 10 feet of its master. The sha’ir can cast the spell within three turns; thereafter the magic is lost. Damage and other effects for the spell reflect the sha’ir’s experience level. The gen cannot set out to retrieve another spell for its 9 8

master until the previous magic has been cast or has expired. The sha’ir gains the spell because the gen “shares” the verbal and somatic components immediately upon returning. Their link is mental, not verbal. Hence, the gen can describe any material components needed, but it’s still up to the sha’ir to supply them. (As in standard AD&D® game play, material components are optional in the AL-QADIMTM campaign. The DM may or may not require them.) 00 Results: If the DM rolls “00” when checking for success, the gen is automatically delayed 1d10 additional rounds, turns, or hours (as indicated by the spell requested). The link between the gen and its master remains intact; the sha’ir knows the gen has been delayed, and can sense that it’s still alive. Examples The examples below illustrate how sha’irs request and receive spells. Example One: Fatima, a 5th-level sha’ir, wants to cast burning hands, a 1st-level spell in the province of flame. She asks her gen to look for it. The gen immediately disappears for 1d6 + 1 rounds (if Fatima needs the spell immediately, she’s in trouble). While away, the gen has a 50 percent base chance to find the spell, plus 25 percent for Fatima’s experience level, minus 10 percent for the spell level, plus 10 percent because the spell is considered “common knowledge.” In summary, the gen has a 75 percent chance of success (50 + 25 - 10 + 10 = 75). If the DM rolls 75 or less when making a percentile check, the gen returns with the spell. Example Two: Hatim, a 3rd-level sha’ir, wants to cast legend lore, a 6th-level spell of the universal province. Hatim’s gen will be gone for 1d6 + 6 turns. The gen has a 50 percent chance to locate the spell, plus 15 percent for Hatim’s level, minus 60 percent for the spell, leaving only a 5 percent chance of success. If Hatim were one level lower, he would have no chance at all of gaining this spell. Example Three: Hazam, a 9th-level sha’ir, is in desperate need of a raise dead spell, a 5th-level priest spell. His gen has a 50 percent chance to locate the spell, plus 45 percent for Hazam’s level, minus 50 percent for the spell level, minus another 30 percent for seeking a priest spell. The long and short of it: the gen has a 15 percent chance of success and will search for 1d6 + 5 hours. If the gen fails to recover the spell and Hazam immediately sends it out to try again, the gen’s chance of success drops to 5 percent. The Perils of Priest Spells Sha’irs who send their gens after priest spells do so at their own risk. Priest spells are granted by the gods (or other powerful forces), and a gen who retrieves such a spell may take more than magic back to its master. There is a 10 percent chance per level of the desired spell that a god or higher being observes the gen’s activity. The DM makes the percentage roll. If the gen is noticed, nothing happens until the sha’ir casts the spell. When the spell is cast, “divine retribution” occurs. The DM determines which god (or being) is offended. The exact punishment varies according to the level of the spell being cast: l 1st to 2nd Level: The sha’ir suffers an immediate case of the evil eye (see attract evil eye, reverse of avert evil eye, in Chapter 8). No saving throw is allowed. l 3rd to 4th Level: The hand of Fate turns against the caster. The next opponent to attack the sha’ir gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for the duration of the encounter. If the sha’ir happens to cast multiple priest spells of this level before the next encounter, the results are cumulative (+1 per spell). l 5th to 6th Level: The god (or offended planar creature) sends a “messenger” to teach the sha’ir a lesson about appropriating magic. The DM should bring in the monster of his or her choice, which appears 1d6 rounds after the offending spell is cast. The creature is teleported magically to the sha’ir’s location. As noted, the DM chooses the offended god (though it’s probably an underling performing the task). The monster should be at least one Hit Die greater than the sha’ir’s experience level. The summoned creature attacks the sha’ir with fanatical morale, and disappears upon completion of its task (or upon its death). The sha’ir gains no experience for defeating this monster, nor does anyone who helps. 99